Kobe and Mom Set to Face Off in Court

A federal judge on Tuesday set a trial date for Kobe Bryant's escalating battle with his mother over $1.5 million of memorabilia she says he left at her Pennsylvania home, the Courier-Post is reporting.

According to the paper, the Bryants will have what figures to be a tense family reunion on June 17 in a courtroom in Camden, where U.S. District Judge Renee Marie Bum will allow Kobe's California-based complaint to be transferred into her court. Philly.com has reported that, according to their attorneys, both Kobe and mom Pamela Bryant will be in attendance.

The mother-son beef began on April 30, when Goldin Auctions, a New Jersey-based auction house, announced that it would be selling off an estimated $1.5 million of Kobe's memorabilia—including jerseys and a ring from his time at Lower Merion High School—in June. Pamela Bryant received a reported $450,000 advance for the items, which she says Kobe left in her home 15 years ago.

Kobe's legal team immediately sent the auction house a cease-and-desist letter, alleging that Pamela Bryant was not the rightful owner of the property. This prompted a lawsuit brought by Goldin, in which the company reasserted its right to sell the items, which in turn precipitated further legal action by Kobe's representatives.

The Bryant family is split on the question of who owns the property; Kobe's mom, dad, and maternal grandmother believe it belongs to Pamela Bryant, while, according to Philly.com, Kobe's sister maintains the memorabilia is clearly her brother's.

You wonder if Kobe misses the days when his biggest in-house rivalry was with Shaquille O'Neal. 

More from Patch on the Strange Case of Kobe and His Mom

• Kobe Bryant's Mom is Auctioning Off His Stuff
• Kobe Taking Mom to Court to Stop Memorabilia Auction