Accord Reached in Tiffany’s Fight for Independence

Teen-age pop star Tiffany agreed Thursday to drop her bid for legal independence from her mother under an undisclosed settlement reached after a six-hour conference.

Neil Goldstein, a lawyer for Tiffany’s mother, Janie Williams, said “everything” had been settled, including who would be Tiffany’s guardian and the dispute over an unsigned contract with her manager, George Tobin.

Neither Goldstein nor Tiffany’s lawyers would disclose details of the agreement, which is expected to be presented to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Hubbell in its final form within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Tiffany’s aunt, Julie Abbas, retains guardianship of the girl until Hubbell approves the agreement.

The 16-year-old singer, dressed in black pants, blouse and boots, said only, “I’m sorry I have no comment,” when questioned by reporters after the meeting.

A mob of photographers, cameramen, reporters and a few fans waited most of the day outside the conference room.

One fan who was carrying a sword that he said he wanted to give to the singer was arrested in the courthouse.

Tiffany’s mother contended that an unsigned contract between her daughter and Tobin gives him total control over her career without letting her have a say in it. It also gives him too much money, Williams said.

Tobin has accused Williams of interfering with Tiffany’s career and fighting for control of her daughter’s finances for her own cut of the profits.

The singer, whose first record album, “Tiffany,” has sold more than 4 million copies and earned more than $4 million in royalties, asked the court to grant her emancipation from her mother, so she can make her own decisions about her career and her money. She agreed to withdraw that request Thursday.

The singer’s full name is Tiffany Renee Darwish. Her father, James Darwish, gave up custody of his daughter to her mother when they divorced in the early 1970s. Williams later remarried but was divorced in 1985.

Tobin asked Williams in March to sign a contract to let him manage her daughter’s career. But Williams refused, saying the 50-50 split of royalties, with Tobin’s expenses coming out of Tiffany’s half, was unfair, Goldstein said.

The court removed Williams as trustee of her daughter’s $100,000 trust fund in April and gave control of it to a bank and accounting firm. The judge Thursday ended the firms’ control of the account.

Hubbell had appointed a lawyer not involved with the case to review the management contract and determine its fairness. It was not known what determination the lawyer made.

Tobin has signed Tiffany to a record contract with MCA that Goldstein said gives Tobin 20% of the gross profits, which he said was “a little high.” Tobin’s lawyers have declined comment.

Jeff Turner, 34, of Los Angeles was arrested for carrying the sword that he claimed was a gift for the pop star. He also carried a large bouquet of flowers for the singer.

The weapon, which resembles a Japanese sword, is 26 1/2 inches long with a curved blade and was being carried in a scabbard, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Kathryn Nielsen said.

It is illegal to carry a knife or sword with a fixed blade longer than 4 inches into a court building, Nielsen said.