MICHAEL JACKSON - JACKSON'S EX-WIFE ASKS JUDGE FOR VISITATION RIGHTS

MICHAEL JACKSON's ex-wife DEBORAH ROWE has gone to court in an attempt to gain visitation rights to their two children.

Rowe, whom Jackson married in 1996, gave up all parental rights in 2001 to their children, PRINCE MICHAEL, eight, and PARIS, six, but yesterday (15DEC04) she filed with the Superior Court in Los Angeles for the right to see them.

Jackson's attorney THOMAS HALL says in the filing that he is preparing an appeal of a recent decision by a retired judge regarding the matter. Hall plans to file documents from the case into the court record and asks that they be sealed because they contain information about Jackson's assets and liabilities.

Reports that Rowe was considering filing for temporary exclusive custody of all three of Jackson's children - including PRINCE MICHAEL II, also known as BLANKET, whom she says is not her child - surfaced in Britain earlier this year (04).

Rowe, who filed for divorce from the BAD singer in 1999, reportedly felt that Jackson was an unfit father who deprives the children of a normal childhood. She also was said to be concerned that Jackson was exhibiting poor judgment, in reference to his statements about it being acceptable to sleep with children.

Judge ROBERT SCHNIDER has adjourned the custody case until 2 February (05), three days after Jackson is scheduled to stand trial on child-molestation and conspiracy charges.