Katy Perry wins Montecito House lawsuit as judge rules to evict disabled veteran

Judge Joseph Lipner ruled in favour of the singer to evict disabled veteran Carl Westcott, 84, who previously owned the lavish mansion

Katy Perry and her fiance Orlando Bloom's $15 million Montecito House lawsuit has finally reached a verdict. On Wednesday, November 8, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Lipner ruled in favour of the singer to evict disabled veteran Carl Westcott, 84, who previously owned the lavish mansion. As per the court's decision, “Wescott presented no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract.” The tentative ruling is set to become permanent in 10 days.

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom(Getty Images)

Perry's attorney Eric Rowen released a statement, which reads, “Today’s proposed decision is clear — the judge found that Mr. Westcott could not prove anything other than he was of perfectly sound mind when he engaged in complex negotiations over several weeks with multiple parties to transact a lucrative sale of the property that netted him a substantial profit,” as per People.

“The evidence shows that Mr. Westcott breached the contract for no other reason than he had changed his mind. We look forward to wrapping this matter up at the scheduled damage trial phase set for February 13 and 14, if not before,” the statement added. Back in August 2020, Westcott filed a lawsuit against Perry's business manager Bernie Gudvi. Though the trial began in late September, the Roar singer is expected to testify in a countersuit in the next coming months.

Westcott's son, Chart Westcott, who does not agree with the ruling, said, “Katy Perry will now have to testify, in person, on damages and the contradictory claims she has made over lost income for the rental of my father’s home. While this has been a long road, the fight for my father is not over and we will continue to represent him and his legacy of incredible achievements.” The US Army veteran who served as a 101st Airborne service member, moved into the litigated house just two months before Perry and Bloom purchased the 8.9 acre property.

In his lawsuit, he claimed that in the days leading up to the proposed contract, he underwent a “major six-hour surgery,” which had “seriously impaired his mental faculties to the point he was of unsound mind and not competent to give his free, voluntary, or intelligent consent to the contract,” as per NY Post. However, on July 22, 2020, after the opiates from his surgery wore off, Westcott started to “feel mentally clear again.”