Cher’s custody request for son Elijah explained

Cher Filed a second custody petition for her son Elijah Blue Allman in April 2026 after a series of arrests and escalating legal troubles.

news broke On April 17, 2026, Cher filed for custody in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier that week. The singer asked trustees Jason Rubin Responsible for his son’s finances. (Cher shares Elijah with the late Greg Allmanand late son Chaz. Sonny Bono.)

This is the second time Cher has sought conservatorship of Ilya’s estate, as court documents say the pop icon said Ilya’s life has “significantly deteriorated” since Cher filed for conservatorship in 2023, which was ultimately denied.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Cher’s legal battle:

What is the legal requirement?

Rachel Bennettis a certified family law specialist and a senior associate at Sullivan Law & Associates and has no connection with this case. Breaking the legal pattern US Weekly.

“In order to gain conservatorship over her adult children in California, Cher had to meet a pretty high legal standard,” Bennett told reporters. us April 2026. “She must prove by clear and convincing evidence that Elijah was either unable to meet his basic personal needs, such as food, clothing, shelter or health care, or was completely unable to manage his own finances.”

The legal expert added, “Even if she proves that, the court would still have to find that there was no less restrictive alternative, such as a trust, power of attorney or some other support system.”

Why Cher’s First Petition Was Denied

Bennett explains us That Xue’er’s 2023 regulatory attempts fail was granted.

“Her previous petition was denied because the judge didn’t see enough evidence of incapacity, basically saying the petition was premature,” Bennett told us April 2026. “At the time, Elijah countered that he was sober, receiving treatment, and managing his financial affairs. The court found that Cher’s argument relied too heavily on fear of what might happen.”

According to Bennett, Cher was likely “trying to be proactive” in her motion.

“She anticipated there would be problems down the road,” the attorney said. “The court basically told her that she had to wait until Elijah’s life had basically deteriorated before she could intervene.”

The inside story of Ilya Blue Allman’s recent legal troubles

Court documents filed by Cher in 2026 said Elijah is currently being held at a psychiatric hospital in New Hampshire, trying to regain his competency before going to trial on criminal charges. Earlier that year, he was arrested twice in New Hampshire.

He was first arrested in February 2026 on assault and trespassing charges after he allegedly caused a disturbance at a prep school in the state. Concord Police Department told us There is an unpopular person on campus who behaves aggressively. Reports also indicate he faces two counts of assault, as well as one count each of criminal trespassing, criminal threats and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident.

Elijah dropped charges related to the incident, and the trial is scheduled to begin on June 16, 2026.

Elijah’s second arrest occurred in March 2026, when he was accused of breaking into a home in Windham, New Hampshire. The town police confirmed us He was charged with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief and breach of bail.

According to Cher’s court documents, her son’s arrest exacerbated his “current set of problems,” which allegedly indicate he is unable to handle his financial affairs. She further claimed that Elijah “immediately” spent money, “almost entirely on drugs, expensive hotels and limousine transportation.”

What does regulation mean

Legal expert Bennett told reporters: “If this regulation is approved, it will bring significant and very targeted controls, mainly over his finances.” us April 2026. “Cher is asking for a conservatorship of the estate, which means court-appointed professional trustees will step in and they will manage Elijah’s funds. So, in effect, he will lose the ability to freely use or manage his own funds, and he may be subject to some kind of controlled allowance system.”

Cher’s custody request denied

people According to reports, the judge denied Cher’s motion on April 24, 2026, finding that there was “sufficient urgency” to grant the request.

US Weekly Cher’s team has been contacted for comment.

This story was compiled with the help of artificial intelligence tools and edited by journalists.