The legal battle over Cher’s son, Elijah Blue Allman, has taken another dramatic turn — and this time, his wife wants the court to consider putting her in charge instead.

Marieangela King filed new court papers in Los Angeles on Aug. 18 formally objecting to the ongoing effort to place Elijah under a conservatorship. More significantly, she told the court that if a conservator is appointed, she believes she should be considered for the role.

The filing adds a new layer to a family dispute that already involves Cher, Elijah’s siblings, his wife, competing court proceedings in California and New Hampshire, and sharply different accounts of what Elijah himself wants.

King’s central argument is straightforward: she claims Cher and Elijah have been estranged for years, says he has previously opposed his mother’s involvement, and believes installing someone selected by Cher would further damage his trust and potentially undermine his recovery.

Cher’s legal team sees the situation very differently.

They have questioned whether Elijah and King’s recent reconciliation is genuine and have argued that California should remain the proper place for the conservatorship case.

The result is no longer simply a question of whether Elijah needs someone to manage his affairs.

It is also a fight over who should be allowed to do it.

King Says She No Longer Wants to Divorce Elijah

King and Elijah have had a complicated marriage.

The couple married in 2013, but their relationship has repeatedly been strained by Elijah’s substance-use problems and other personal difficulties. King has filed for divorce more than once, only to later abandon those efforts.

In her latest declaration, King said she had been emotionally exhausted when she most recently sought to end the marriage.

But after Elijah entered a structured treatment environment in New Hampshire, she said she reconsidered.

King ultimately dismissed the divorce case again, explaining that she wanted to support her husband and participate in his long-term care. She has said Elijah urged her to remain involved and that she gave up claims involving tens of thousands of dollars in support so she could stand beside him.

That decision is now central to her argument.

King says she is not simply Elijah’s estranged spouse fighting from the sidelines.

She believes she should have a formal voice in what happens to him next.

She Claims Cher and Elijah Have Serious Trust Problems

King’s filing contains some of the strongest accusations yet about the relationship between Cher and her son.

She claims Elijah and Cher have had an “extremely poor relationship” marked by unresolved trust issues and years of estrangement. King also alleges that Cher has excluded her from discussions about Elijah’s treatment and has repeatedly tried to impose restrictions on him without properly involving her.

King argues that this history makes a Cher-selected conservator a poor choice.

According to her filing, Elijah has previously made clear that he does not want his mother controlling his affairs.

That point is supported by Elijah’s own earlier court filings.

During the previous conservatorship battle in 2024, Elijah opposed Cher’s attempt to gain control over his estate. He acknowledged his history with addiction but disputed the idea that his mother needed to control his finances to protect him from himself.

At the time, he argued that his wife had greater legal priority than his mother if a conservator were ever needed.

King is now using those earlier statements to support her own request.

She says she is “ready, willing, and able” to take responsibility if the court concludes that Elijah requires a conservator.

Cher Has Been Trying to Intervene for Years

Cher’s concerns about her son are not new.

The 80-year-old singer first sought a conservatorship over Elijah’s estate in late 2023, citing his substance-use struggles and concerns about how he was handling money.

That attempt was ultimately unsuccessful.

Then, in April 2026, Cher returned to court with a new petition after Elijah’s circumstances had deteriorated again.

She asked for professional fiduciary Jason Rubin to be appointed to manage her son’s finances, alleging that Elijah was rapidly spending money on drugs, hotels and transportation and was unable to protect himself financially.

A Los Angeles judge declined to impose an immediate temporary conservatorship, finding there was not enough urgency at that moment.

But the broader legal fight did not disappear.

Elijah, now 50, has also faced criminal proceedings in New Hampshire following separate incidents earlier in 2026.

According to court filings cited by Us Weekly, he has been receiving involuntary institutional treatment in New Hampshire while competency and criminal matters continue.

That situation has created yet another dispute.

California or New Hampshire?

King argues that Los Angeles may no longer be the proper place for the case.

She says Elijah does not currently maintain a permanent home in California and has no intention of returning there. Because he is under state supervision in New Hampshire and guardianship proceedings have already been initiated there, she believes New Hampshire has the stronger jurisdictional claim.

The situation became more complicated when Elijah’s siblings, Devon Allman and Chaz Bono, sought to be appointed as his guardians in New Hampshire.

King says she was not properly informed about that proceeding.

She has argued that both the California conservatorship effort and the New Hampshire guardianship case have repeatedly excluded her despite her status as Elijah’s wife.

Cher’s legal team disputes King’s jurisdiction argument.

They say Elijah’s connections remain centered in California and note that his family — including King — has ties there.

Their filing also raises an uncomfortable question about the couple’s reconciliation.

If Elijah truly has reconciled with his wife, Cher’s attorneys argue, why would he intend to remain permanently in New Hampshire rather than return to California to live with her?

They suggested that King’s sudden return to Elijah’s side could potentially be a “ruse.”

A Mother and Wife Offering Very Different Versions of Help

At the center of the dispute are two competing definitions of protection.

Cher has repeatedly argued that her son’s addiction, legal troubles and financial behavior show that outside intervention is necessary.

King does not deny that Elijah needs significant help.

In fact, she says he requires a serious long-term treatment plan.

What she rejects is the idea that the solution should come from Cher.

King argues that taking control away from Elijah through someone selected by his mother could feel like punishment rather than support and could damage his willingness to engage in treatment.

She also accuses Cher and other relatives of “gatekeeping” Elijah’s care and shutting her out of medical decisions.

Cher’s side, meanwhile, has reason to question whether King is the right person to take control, particularly given the couple’s turbulent marriage and repeated divorce filings.

That makes the upcoming hearing much more than a procedural step.

It could determine who has the strongest legal claim to speak for Elijah at a time when he may not be able to fully manage his own affairs.

The Next Court Fight Is Coming Soon

The next hearing in the conservatorship proceedings is scheduled for Sept. 1.

Until then, one question hangs over the case.

If the court decides Elijah needs someone else to manage his finances or personal affairs, who should that person be?

Cher believes intervention is necessary.

King says she agrees Elijah needs help — but insists that help should not come from someone chosen by his mother.

And Elijah’s own earlier statements suggest he has long had strong feelings about the answer.

What began as a famous mother’s attempt to protect her troubled adult son has now become a much more complicated family battle.

Cher is asking the legal system to step in.

Her son’s wife is asking it to listen to her instead.

And the court may soon have to decide which version of “help” is actually in Elijah Blue Allman’s best interest.