Katy Perry's trial against convent sale rival begins in Los Angeles

Katy Perry won't appear in court this week to battle a real estate rival.

Jury selection for Perry's trial against restaurateur Dana Hollister began on Monday morning (30Oct17) at the Los Angeles County Courthouse, where the pop star's attorney, Eric Rowen, made it clear his client will be a no-show, even though she'll be in the area for a concert at the beginning of next week.

The Roar singer has teamed up with members of the Los Angeles archdiocese to challenge Hollister over her purchase of a Los Feliz convent from two elderly nuns. Perry, who also bid for the religious house in 2015 and won legal control of the property this summer, claims the local restaurant boss knew she didn’t have the written authority of the archbishop to bid for the place.

The pop star and the archdiocese are now holding Hollister accountable for the two years they spent in court battling to transfer the buying rights to Perry, who must now await official word from the Pope before she can officially move in to the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent and renovate the place.

The singer's initial bid for the convent was stalled by the two nuns because they preferred the idea of Hollister taking over their home.

A judge ruled in Perry's favor in June (17) and voided her rival's bid, noting Sisters Rita Callanan and Catherine Rose Holzman had no right to sell the property to Hollister, who had planned to turn the place into a boutique hotel. The nuns believed they owned the property.

Perry and the archdiocese are seeking a combined $5 million (GBP3.8 million) in damages from Hollister, accusing the restaurateur of infringing on their contracts and wasting their time in court. Hollister has denied any wrongdoing.