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Paris Jackson Wins Court Ruling Against Michael Jackson Estate Executors Over $625,000 in Bonus Payments
A Los Angeles judge ruled that $625,000 in bonus payments made by Michael Jackson estate executors were improper and must be returned.
Paris Jackson has won a significant court ruling in her ongoing dispute with the executors of Michael Jackson’s estate. A Los Angeles judge last month sided with Paris and found that $625,000 in bonus payments to three outside law firms had been improper.
The payments were made in 2018 by estate executors John Branca and John McClain. Judge Mitchell Beckloff ruled they must be “returned to the estate,” saying the amount had not been adequately explained. In the ruling, obtained by Billboard, he wrote: “On the evidence presented, the bonus amounts paid appear arbitrary – what Mr. Branca determined was appropriate.”
Paris Jackson attends Universal Music Group’s GRAMMY after party at Nya Studios on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
The executors had argued that the bonuses reflected “extraordinary success” and were meant to “incentivize hard work” among lawyers. But the court said that explanation was not enough to justify more than half a million dollars in additional compensation, especially given the firms had already been paid through standard legal billing.
Beckloff did praise Branca and McClain for how they have run the estate, noting that they had “provided exceptional services” to Jackson’s heirs. He wrote, “There can be no dispute that under the expertise of the executors, this estate has transformed from teetering on the brink of bankruptcy … to the financial powerhouse that it is today.”
Still, the judge said the specific bonuses paid to Greenberg Traurig, Saul Ewing, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir were not properly justified. He added, “Ms. Jackson’s objection to the $625,000 of bonus payments made in the second six months of 2018 is sustained. The bonus payments are not approved; they are disallowed.” Beckloff also blocked future bonus payments of that kind without a court order or written approval from all estate beneficiaries.
In a statement to Billboard on Wednesday (May 13), the executors pointed to the judge’s praise of their overall work and said he “did not in any way say that the executors had made any inappropriate payments to themselves.” They added, “Ultimately, while we disagree with the decision, we fully respect it and plan to move forward accordingly.”
A spokesperson for Paris called the ruling a “massive win” for the Jackson family and said it would help secure “transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for.” The statement also criticized Branca directly, saying, “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.” It continued, “After months of engaging in sexist, scorched-earth tactics against a beneficiary, it’s time for John Branca to acknowledge his many missteps and act in the best interest of the family he has a fiduciary duty to protect.”
Paris has been challenging Branca and McClain for months. In November, she accused them of using their work, including the now-released Michael biopic, to “enrich and aggrandize” themselves instead of helping the family. She also pointed to the casting of Miles Teller as Branca in the film. The executors responded months later, calling her objections “a profound waste of the court’s time and, ironically, the estate’s money,” while leaning on their record of generating revenue for the estate.
