Sean and Leigh Anne have also denied they tricked Michael into the conservatorship, disclosing that their intention was to never formally adopt him.
“They vehemently deny that they saw [Michael] as a gullible young man whose athletic talent could be exploited for their own benefit,” they wrote in a court filing Sept. 15 in response to Michael’s request to terminate the conservatorship. “The [Tuohys] admit that they never intended to, and in fact never did, take any action to assume legal custody through the Juvenile Court of Shelby County, Tennessee.”
Shortly after filing his lawsuit against the Tuohys in August, Michael shared that he was “disheartened” by the circumstances.
“This is a difficult situation for my family and me,” Michael said in an August statement to E! News through his attorney. “I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself.”
In September, a judge officially ruled to end the conservatorship put in place. However, despite the conservatorship ending, the court case remains ongoing over the financial disputes.