16 hours ago
1
Katy Perry‘s team is fighting against a request for her ex-fiancé, Orlando Bloom, to testify as part of the battle over a $15 million mansion, Us Weekly can exclusively report.
According to court documents obtained by Us, Perry’s team responded to claims they were stonewalling efforts by Carl Westcott, the man who brought the lawsuit in question, to depose the pop star and her ex.
Perry’s team claimed Westcott had several months to complete depositions and discovery, but didn’t do so by the deadline. She said last month his lawyer “suddenly reappeared and asked for five new depositions” from her, Bloom and others.
Her lawyer argued, “The court should not tolerate Westcott’s neglect and gamesmanship during discovery.”
Back in 2020, Westcott sued Perry’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi. He claimed he sold his Santa Barbara mansion to Gudvi, on behalf on Perry, in 2020 for $15 million. The businessman claimed to be under the influence of painkillers at the time of the deal. Once the medicine wore off, Westcott said he called Perry’s team to back out of the deal.
Perry’s team was not persuaded and did not agree to back out. A lawsuit was filed by Westcott demanding the court find the deal not enforceable. The first phase of the trial started in November 2023, where the judge sided with Perry’s business manager.
The court ruled the deal was enforceable, and Westcott had to turn over the keys. The singer had to deposit $9 million of the $15 million price in escrow, leaving $6 million of the price she owes up to the decision of the court after the second phase of the trial.
The second phase of the trial is scheduled for August 21, where Perry was ordered to testify regarding alleged damages. She claimed to be entitled to damages for “loss of use” of the home. Westcott’s team said Perry initially claimed $3.25 million in damages for “loss of use.”
Then, Westcott said Perry, 40, added an additional $2.29 million in new repair damages.
“Perry’s game is clear. During years of litigation, she asserted $3.25 million in loss of use damages. But immediately after the [decision], providing that she would pay $9 million of the $15 million price … was approved by the Court, she is trying to add $2.29 million in ‘new damages’ which brings her total damages claim up to $5.4 million, an amount close to the $6 million she still owes,” Westcott’s lawyer argued.
Wescott and his team said Perry had failed to produce a list of each alleged repair and the cost she is seeking for each item.
The motion references the reports that Chris Pratt and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, recently rented Perry’s home. Westcott’s team points out that Katherine’s mom, Maria Shriver, had put in a bid on the home before Perry purchased it.
Westcott’s legal team said they asked Perry’s team to reopen discovery after seeing the report that she had rented out the home. They asked for permission to conduct a four-hour inspection to visualize any repairs that Perry made and to allow for a handful of witnesses to be deposed.
In her new motion, Perry’s team also shut down the allegations regarding damages. They claim they did produce evidence of the alleged repairs to the home.
“But Westcott’s argument also ignores his complete failure to engage in any fact discovery despite 18 months and four trial continuances. Westcott was well-aware that Gudvi was seeking compensation for repairs to the property since at least January 2024, and Westcott also knew renovations were being performed on the Property by at least June 20, 2024,” the motion read.
In addition, Perry’s team said Westcott is fighting any evidence about the “millions of dollars in repair costs attributable to Westcott’s lack of maintenance over the four-year period in which he refused to perform the sale contract — including damages for significant flooding before title transfer occurred.”
Perry’s attorney argued, “The truth is that Westcott has known since at least January 2024 that Gudvi would be seeking compensation for repairs at the property, he had every opportunity to conduct the discovery he believes was appropriate, and he got to depose sixteen expert property inspectors who walked the property to examine its condition.”
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
The court has yet to rule.
Earlier this year, Westcott’s team fired off a subpoena seeking a deposition from Bloom, 48, due to their belief he had relevant information about the case. Perry’s team objected to the request. The court has yet to rule.
As Us previously reported, Perry and Bloom split but are keeping things “amicable” for the time being.
English (US) ·