Pop
Paris Jackson scores major court victory in explosive Michael Jackson estate battle
Paris Jackson has won a major legal victory after a judge ordered $625,000 in improper bonus payments to be returned to her father Michael Jackson’s estate.
Paris Jackson has scored a huge legal victory in her bitter court fight against the executors of her father Michael Jackson’s estate after a judge ordered hundreds of thousands of dollars to be repaid.
The 28-year-old daughter of the late King of Pop has been locked in a long-running dispute with estate executors John Branca and John McClain, accusing them of making financial decisions that were not in the best interests of the Jackson family.
Now, a Los Angeles judge has ruled that certain bonus payments made to attorneys were improper and ordered $625,000 to be returned to the estate.
According to court documents obtained by Entertainment Weekly, Judge Mitchel L. Beckloff found a set of payments approved by Branca in 2008 to be “arbitrary” and therefore “disallowed”.
As part of the ruling, the judge also barred the executors from issuing future bonus payments to lawyers “without the written consent of all beneficiaries or an order of the referee/court”.
Paris had alleged that hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorised bonuses had been handed out to estate attorneys, while also pushing for greater transparency over the estate’s finances.
The judge additionally ordered Branca and McClain to cover Paris’ legal fees connected to the case and approved her request for a schedule requiring the executors to file updated financial accounting linked to estate attorney fees between 2019 and 2023.
Despite siding with Paris on the disputed payments, the court also praised the executors for the way they transformed the finances following his death in 2009.
Michael Jackson at Madison Square Garden in 2001/Credit: FAMOUS
The ruling noted the estate had gone from “teetering on the brink of bankruptcy” to becoming a “financial powerhouse”.
A spokesperson for Paris hailed the decision as a major moment for the Jackson family.
They said: “Paris has always been focused on what's best for her family and this ruling is a massive win for them. After years of delay, the Jackson family will finally get the transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for.”
The spokesperson then launched a blistering attack on Branca.
They added: “The Jackson Estate is supposed to be a prudent, fiscally responsible entity that supports the Jackson family — not a slush fund to help John Branca live out his Hollywood mogul fantasies.”
The estate’s representatives said they disagreed with the court’s decision but confirmed they would comply with the ruling.
A spokesperson said: “Ultimately, while we disagree with the decision, we fully respect it and plan to move forward accordingly.”
They also stressed none of the disputed $625,000 bonus payments had gone directly to the executors themselves and insisted the court had not accused them of enriching themselves improperly.
