Paris Jackson wins legal battle against executors of her father’s estate
Paris Jackson’s 'Massive' Court Triumph: What Is Next For Michael Jackson’s Estate?
After months of a lengthy court battle and setbacks, Michael Jackson's 28-year-old daughter, Paris Jackson, has scored a major legal victory against the executors of her father’s estate.
A Los Angeles judge ruled in her favor and ordered the executors to repay the "arbitrary" $625,000 bonus paid to attorneys.
Estate executors John Branca and John McClain were accused of mishandling Jackson's estate and making payments to outside law firms in 2018.
After the 28-year-old alleged that payments were not properly approved and raised concerns about transparency, Branca and McClain lost their case to Jackson's eldest daughter.
Inside Paris Jackson’s High-Stakes Legal Dispute With Estate Executors
Paris Jackson wins legal battle against Michael Jackson estate executors John Branca and John McClain.
According to People, Paris, along with her siblings, Prince and Bigi, have been the beneficiaries of Jackson's estate.
After looking into how things were being maintained by executors Branca and McClain, Paris accused the duo of using their positions for personal financial gain.
However, Branca and McClain have denied the claims and have stated that they singlehandedly helped the estate come out of millions of dollars of debt, following the singer's demise in 2009.
This led to Paris file court papers in April 2026, accusing the executors of using a status report to “mock and belittle” her.
Meanwhile, the April filing came after an 83-page report discussed a March 2026 court hearing where the 28-year-old's legal team allegedly withdrew from an agreement at the last minute.
Paris addressed these claims and stated that the executors used the media to “attack” her, which seemed “unacceptable.”
Previously, Paris had requested “an efficient, transparent, and orderly process” for estate accounting and claimed that Branca and McClain were “operat[ing] in the dark.”
Following these claims, attorney Jonathan Steinsapir responded that Paris was “abusing the courts and the legal system by making a series of false allegations as part of a media campaign.”
He added that she had already received $65 million and would “inherit many hundreds of millions more.”
However, in the filing, Paris only “hoped to work cooperatively to install a clear and simple order allowing payment on account where justified.”
She further alleged that in 2021, executors pocketed more than $10 million in compensation.
Paris claimed that it was “more than double the amount distributed to any beneficiary from the family allowance.”
Eventually, after months of grueling battle between Paris and the estate executors, the court favored the 28-year-old and ordered Branca and McClain to return the $625,000 bonus payments paid to third-party law firms.
“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. The payments shall be returned to the estate," the motion read.
“Ms. Jackson may bring a motion for her reasonable attorneys' fees and costs under the common fund theory for her meritorious objection to the executors' fee petition,” it added.
What Paris Jackson’s Legal Victory Means For the Estate
Paris' legal victory against the executors is expected to bring major financial accountability to Jackson’s estate.
After the judge ordered the executor duo to return the $625,000 to the estate, it is hoped that transparency will prevail in how the family's money is being spent, hereafter.
“Paris has always been focused on what's best for her family and this ruling is a massive win for them,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
“After years of delay, the Jackson family will finally get the transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for,” the spokesperson 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 spokesperson further stated.
The statement appeared to reference Jackson's biopic, which his daughter publicly opposed, wherein Branca’s role was portrayed by Miles Teller.
The spokesperson 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.”
The estate attorneys are expected to submit accounting filings covering legal fees from 2019 through 2024 by September 15.