Michael Jackson, ex-wife end child custody dispute

LOS ANGELES, Sep 30 (Reuters) Pop star Michael Jackson and his former wife Debbie Rowe have reached a settlement in their long-running child custody dispute, her lawyer said.

Attorney Marta Almli, who represents Rowe, did not disclose the terms of the agreement, which she said must be signed by a judge in the coming weeks. The judge's approval was expected to be a formality.

Almli yesterday said the agreement also settles a lawsuit Jackson filed against Rowe in 2004 claiming that she violated a confidentiality agreement.

''There is a settlement of all of the disputes between the parties,'' Almli said. ''It's a done deal.'' Jackson's attorney, Michael Abrams, confirmed that the agreement had been reached. He said Jackson was not in Los Angeles but had approved the deal.

''He wasn't in LA when we resolved it but that didn't prevent us from talking about it with him and having him sign it,'' Abrams said.

Jackson and Rowe, who met while she was working for his dermatologist, were married in 1996 and had two children, Michael Jr and Paris, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has since had another son but has not disclosed the name of the boy's mother.

In 2001, Rowe gave up her parental rights but filed for custody after Jackson's 2003 arrest on child molestation charges, citing in part his association with the Nation of Islam.

Prosecutors called Rowe as a witness in Jackson's trial last year, but she testified about Jackson in glowing terms.

Jackson was acquitted of all charges in June of 2005.

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