NEWARK (New Jersey) - WHITNEY Houston is being sued by her stepmother in a legal battle over the wishes of her Houston's deceased father.

According to court records, Barbara Houston claims the 45-year-old singer improperly kept the proceeds from John Houston's $1 million insurance policy after he died in 2003.

The lawsuit says the singer was supposed to use $723,000 to pay off the mortgage on her father's condominium in Jersey. She holds the mortgage on the condo.

The stepmother, who still lives in the condo, claims that Whitney Houston was also supposed to return the remaining insurance money to her.

Lawyers for Whitney Houston and her stepmother declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Newark. -- AP