Marilyn Manson's court showdown with former bandmate STEPHEN BIER has been delayed by two weeks, after a judge granted the keyboardist's lawyers extra time to study the shock rocker's financial records.
Manson is accused by Bier - also known by his stage name Madonna Wayne Gacy - of breach of contract.
The $20 million (£14 million) lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2007, alleges Manson, real name Brian Warner, used money from their former band partnership to buy personal goods, including gifts for his ex-wife Dita Von Teese.
Manson countersued Bier, alleging he breached a contract by not fully participating in the making of master recordings, performing in concert, and helping to sell band merchandise - however, the challenge was dropped in January (09).
Manson maintains the band's partnership was dissolved in 1996, but Bier - who left the group in 2007 - insists the fund still exists and claims he is entitled to a share of revenue.
Bier's legal team requested the trial, originally set for Monday (23Feb09), be pushed back by up to four months to allow experts to fully review new financial records for Manson's band, which they received last week (begs16Feb09).
Bier's attorney Olaf J. Muller demonstrated just how much material they had to read through by bringing boxes full of papers to court on Thursday (19Feb09) - and blamed Manson's lawyers for causing the delay.
He argued, "These are the most important documents in the whole case. They turn the case upside down and completely change our expert's opinion. We asked for them a year ago. Three weeks ago we were told they didn't exist."
But Judge Michael L. Stern denied the motion and instead granted them a two-week delay to scrutinise the documents.
The ruling was welcomed by Manson's lawyer Howard E. King, who insisted the files will show that Bier in fact owes the shock rocker and his band more than $1 million (£704,225).
The trial will now begin on 2 March (09).