Michael Jackson's mother appears to have lost her bid for a new trial in a negligence case against promoters at AEG Live as a judge has tentatively ruled against proceeding further with the legal drama.

Katherine Jackson spent much of 2013 seeking a wrongful death conviction against the company bosses, claiming they negligently hired the doctor convicted of administering a lethal dose of an anaesthetic to her superstar son in 2009.

In October (13), a jury rejected Jackson's lawsuit, but her lawyers were back in court on Friday (03Jan14), arguing that the verdict form didn't allow jurors to fully consider evidence in the case against AEG Live bosses.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos did not immediately finalise her ruling, but she made it clear she was against a new trial.

It is not known when the judge will make her verdict official.

Jackson's attorneys still have the option to pursue an appeal with a higher state court.

AEG Live executives denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial and insisted there was no way they could have known that Conrad Murray was giving Jackson propofol in the bedroom of his rented mansion.

Murray spent almost two years behind bars after he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He was released in October (13)