Family to Make Play for Michael Jackson's Fortune

The potential battle mounting for control of the estate pales in drama to the fight many observers expected to take place in court today -- a clash for custody of the three Jackson children.

After weeks of negotiations, Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe reached an out-of-court agreement that gives the singer's mother full, permanent custody of the pop icon's three children, while Rowe will be granted "meaningful visitation rights."

Spiritual Battle Over Jackson's Kids' Religion

Katherine Jackson will maintain sole custody of Prince Michael I, 12, Paris-Michael Katherine, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7, also known as Blanket, while Rowe, mother of the two oldest kids, will have meaningful visitation rights and retain her legal parental rights.

In his will, Jackson granted custody of the children to his mother, but in the days after his death Rowe suggested she might seek custody of the children.

As the custody battle settles, a spiritual one could replace it. Sources close to Debbie Rowe told ABC News that she is concerned the children may not be raised Catholic, as the sources said Michael Jackson wanted, "Good Morning America" reported today.

Though Michael Jackson's children were reportedly baptized in a Catholic church in 2003, Katherine Jackson, a devout Jehovah's Witness, has been taking the kids to her church since their father's death.

An investigation into Jackson's June 25 death is ongoing.