Paris Jackson secured a $625,000 victory in a legal battle over the estate of her father, Michael Jackson.
When the King of Pop died in June 2009 at 50, he left behind a vast estate that was also weighed down by significant debt.
Oversight of the estate has since been handled by executors John Branca and John McClain, with its value reportedly soaring in the years following Jackson’s death.
Now, a judge has addressed an objection raised by Paris Jackson concerning roughly $625,000 in bonus payments connected to third-party law firms.
According to court filings, the judge determined that the $625,000 should be repaid to the estate.
Documents reviewed on May 13 also acknowledged the executors’ role in strengthening the estate’s financial position over time.
As part of the decision, the court also directed that attorneys working with the executors are not to receive bonus payments without proper authorization.
The documents, which were obtained by US Weekly, read: “The Executors shall not make any bonus payments to an attorney as a payment on account without the written consent of all beneficiaries or an order of the referee/court.”
At the same time, the court left room for the executors to seek approval in specific situations, stating: “The Executors are authorized to file a petition for instructions if circumstances arise where they believe deviation from this order is warranted.”
The ruling also instructed that the disputed money be paid back, ordering that the payments be “returned to the estate”.
“Ms. Jackson’s objection to the $625,000 of bonus payments made in the second six months of 2018 is sustained,” it read.
“The bonus payments are not approved; they are disallowed. The payments shall be returned to the estate.”
In the years since Jackson’s passing, the estate has reportedly shifted from financial strain to substantial wealth.
That transformation was noted in the filings, which said: “As a preliminary matter, there can be no dispute that under the expertise of the Executors, this estate has transformed from teetering on the brink of bankruptcy in June of 2009 when Michael Jackson died to the financial powerhouse that it is today.”
They added: “For the last 17 years, the Executors and their attorneys have provided exceptional services to the estate and, ultimately, to the beneficiaries.
“The Executors have — in the words of John Branca — created real and substantial generational wealth for the estate’s beneficiaries.”
In a statement to TMZ, a representative for the executors said: “We are gratified that the court itself recognized and praised the work of the Executors and its outside counsel.”
However, the representative indicated they did not agree with every aspect of the ruling, saying they ‘disagree with some of the judge’s decisions.’
The statement added: “While the Court has previously approved several other bonuses to outside counsel over the years for their extraordinary services, and this was the first time they were the subject of objections, the Executors have always understood that legal fees are subject to court approval and have always required outside counsel to agree to return any funds to the estate if the payments were not approved.
“Ultimately, while we disagree with the decision, we fully respect it and plan to move forward accordingly.”