Katy Perry has appeared in court to testify in the ongoing legal battle over the $15 million purchase of her mansion in Montecito, California.
Perry and Orlando Bloom had purchased the 1930s mansion from Carl Westcott in 2020. However Wescott is now claiming he “lacked capacity” to sign the deal due to his diagnosis of Huntington's Disease, a genetic brain disorder.
Westcott is looking to rescind the contract.
Perry, aged 40, joined the court via Zoom for questioning about the purchase of the California home.
Perry had previously won a prior trial on the issue of liability, and in May 2024, Perry gained ownership of the Santa Barbara County property.
After her years-long legal battle the judge had ruled that “Westcott presented no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract" as he seemed “coherent, engaged, lucid, and rational.”
The judge has since bifurcated the case and the ‘Last Friday Night’ singer is now seeking more than $5 million in damages, alleging $3 million will cover her loss of rental income.
On Tuesday, Perry was questioned about her motives by Westcott’s attorney, Andrew J. Thomas.
The attorney asked what she stood to gain from seeking damages.
“Justice,” she simply replied.
“How about money?” Thomas asked.
“I stand to lose money if it doesn’t work in my favour,” she said.
The over 9,000-square-foot property sits on roughly 2.5 acres of land and is fit with eight bedrooms,11 bathrooms, an infinity pool, a jacuzzi, an outdoor fireplace, as well as a three-bedroom guesthouse overlooking the sea.
The property was originally purchased by the former couple to raise their now five-year-old daughter Daisy in.
The pair had met in 2016 and got engaged. They later called off the wedding and split in June of this year.
Perry was also questioned about her relationship with the ‘Lord of The Rings’ star replying that they were “family for life.”
Perry’s attorney, Eric Rowen, objected to nearly every question from Westcott’s lawyer, including those about her ex-partner.
