Why Whitney Houston Was Once Sued By Her Stepmother

If there's one thing we've learned about Whitney Houston, it's that her personal life was fraught with tragedy and drama. For example, she faced several offstage legal battles, including a 2008 lawsuit for a cool $1 million. Lawsuits can be very stressful to navigate but, according to E!, this lawsuit hit particularly close to home for the performer: the plaintiff in the case was her own stepmother, Barbara Houston. Sadly, large life insurance policies can sometimes lead people to prioritize money over familial bonds, and this case was no exception. The lawsuit was filed because Barbara and Whitney disagreed about how life insurance funds from Whitney's deceased father, John Russell Houston, should have been dispersed. 

As the article explains, Barbara Houston was expecting $723,000 out of the insurance policy to pay off her mortgage. Instead, Whitney retained control of the money and contested Barbara's claim to it. Both sides had a compelling argument, but who emerged victorious from this family squabble? Here's how Whitney navigated this sticky situation.  

When the lawsuit became public knowledge, many were already questioning Whitney's net worth due to other financial issues. For example, CBS News explains that her home in New Jersey was once in danger of foreclosure. The lawsuit added fuel to the gossip fire but, luckily, the final outcome was in Whitney's favor: Barbara Houston lost the initial trial and a follow-up appeal. A FindLaw blog post explains that Barbara lost because she didn't produce enough evidence regarding the alleged oral agreement between Whitney and her father regarding how the life insurance payout should be used. However, as Forbes reported, Whitney not only won the case against Barbara, but was poised to take the issue one step further before her death: foreclosing on the home at the heart of the lawsuit. 

This may seem like a harsh response, but as the article explains that Barbara was four decades younger than John Houston, and their romance began when Houston's mother and father were still married. The dubious start to Barbara's relationship with Whitney's father likely played a role in the singer's willingness to foreclose on the home. Court documents shared by ABC News support this theory: "Although Barbara and Whitney may be considered stepmother and daughter, that relationship never really jelled." The article also reveals that Whitney had drafted a petition to have Barbara evicted from the contested property. Sadly, Whitney died before filing the complaint, leaving the issue to be resolved by her estate. 

Unfortunately for Whitney Houston, Barbara's Houston's lawsuit wasn't the first time she faced legal troubles with her family. In 2003, a company owned by Whitney's father, John Russell Houston, sued the singer for allegedly failing to pay them for their management services. According to Entertainment Weekly, the company, John Houston Entertainment, sought $100 million in the suit. There were conflicting reports on whether or not John was truly in support of the suit, which made the situation even more complex. However, as spokesperson Nancy Seltzer explained, the real tragedy was how it impacted Whitney and her father: "It's sad. It's two people who love each other who seem to be dragged into this public situation, which is neither of their own doing." 

Some people would find it difficult to let go of their negative feelings in this situation, but Whitney was able to put the lawsuit in perspective. In 2009, Whitney told Oprah Winfrey that, ultimately, she didn't blame her father for the situation because of his failing health. She explained: "My dad was being influenced by people that were lying ... My father was sickly at the time, he was in the hospital ..." When Winfrey asked if she was able to forgive him for the lawsuit, the singer said: "Absolutely." Whitney may not have had a close relationship with her stepmother, but it's clear that her connection to her father meant far more to her than money.