There won’t be a Grammy photo-op for R. Kelly and Michael Jackson.

A judge in Chicago this week granted Kelly permission to attend the 46th Annual Grammy Awards February 8 in Los Angeles–under the stipulation that he not confab with Jackson.

R&B crooner Kelly, 37, is under indictment for child pornography; popster Jackson, 45, is facing child-molestation charges.

The judge’s order in the Kelly case baffled both the defense and prosecution, which didn’t request the stay-away-from-Michael move.

“We had no plan to see [Jackson] anyway,” Kelly defense attorney Ed Genson said Wednesday.

It’s doubtful that Kelly would even run into Jackson at the Grammys .

While Kelly is a double nominee, Jackson is neither an award contender, nor a scheduled performer. Grammy organizers on Wednesday said they didn’t know if Jackson, who once needed both arms to haul away all his trophies, planned to attend as a spectator.

Last year, Kelly and Jackson collaborated on the song “One More Chance.” Kelly penned it; Jackson sang it; record buyers and radio stations largely ignored it.

The Chicago-based Kelly was to leave for Los Angeles on Wednesday, traveling by bus. (Strange, but true: The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer doesn’t like airplanes, his attorney said.) Per the judge’s order, he’s due back in the Windy City on February 18.

Kelly is under indictment in Illinois for an allegedly caught-on-tape sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl. He’s also in hot water in Florida, accused of having a stash of kiddie-porn pics at his home there.

Jackson is accused of molesting a child at his Neverland Ranch.

Kelly’s Grammy road trip is the latest excursion to be okayed by Judge Vincent Gaughan. Last year, Gaughan twice allowed Kelly to embark on mini-tours to support his latest album, Chocolate Factory.

Credit: E! Online