The Tuohy Family to End Michael Oher's Conservatorship
There has been a development in the ongoing legal case involving Michael Oher and the Tuohy family.
Almost two months after the retired NFL player first filed a lawsuit against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, Shelby County Probate Court Judge Kathleen Gomes has officially terminated the 2004 conservatorship at the heart of the case, per documents obtained by E! News. Michael had alleged in the August filing that Sean and Leigh Anne convinced him to enter into the agreement, telling him it was the equivalent of officially adopting him into their family.
Judge Gomes made the decision in a hearing held on Sept. 29 with the Associated Press reporting that both Michael and the Tuohys appeared virtually but did not speak. The outlet also reported that Judge Gomes said she "cannot believe" the conservatorship was ever put into effect, noting that in her 43-year career she'd never known of such an agreement to be put into place for someone who was not disabled.
E! News has reached out to reps for both Michael and the Tuohys for comment but has not yet heard back.
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In the 14-page petition Michael filed in September, he alleged that shortly after he turned 18 in 2004, the couple "falsely advised" him to sign a document that made them his conservators instead of legally adopting him into their family. The conservatorship granted Sean and Leigh Anne legal power to complete business deals in Michael's name.
Michael also said that he has received an unequal cut of the profits from the 2009 film The Blind Side—which was based off Michael's relationship and time with the family—in comparison to the Tuohys. The family, however, has denied profiting off the film. The current court case, despite having the conservatorship ended, will continue over these financial disputes.
Dimitrios Kambouris/VF1 & Scott Cunningham via Getty Images
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For their part, Sean and Leigh Anne have been firm in their denial that they tricked Michael into the conservatorship, instead saying that they never intended to 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."
While Michael has largely remained tight-lipped about the legal proceedings, he expressed his grief over learning the truth about his relationship with his family.
"I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today," Michael told E! News in August through his attorney of learning he was never legally made a part of the Tuohy family. "This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment."
See photos of Michael and the Tuohys over the years: