Paris Jackson wins ruling forcing estate to return $625,000

The box-office surge for Michael has only sharpened the fight over who controls one of America’s most lucrative celebrity brands. As the new biopic raced to about $97 million in domestic opening-weekend sales and roughly $217 million worldwide, Los Angeles probate judge Mitchell L. Beckloff ruled that Michael Jackson’s estate must return $625,000 in disputed bonus payments, handing Paris Jackson a new legal victory in a years-long battle over her father’s legacy.

Beckloff’s May 13 ruling said the bonus payments, made in the second half of 2018 to outside law firms representing the estate, were not approved and had to be returned. Paris Jackson had challenged the payments in June 2025, arguing that the spending lacked enough explanation and proper authorization. Her side described the ruling as a massive win, and the order reportedly imposed new checks and balances on the estate’s spending power.

The dispute cuts to the heart of how the Michael Jackson estate is run by executors John Branca and John McClain, who have long been credited with turning a debt-ridden estate into a highly profitable enterprise after Michael Jackson died in 2009. That turnaround has depended on aggressive monetization of Jackson’s name, image and catalog, with major money flowing from projects such as MJ the Musical and now Michael, which opened in U.S. theaters on April 24, 2026.

The film stars Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, in the title role, and quickly became one of the biggest releases of the year. It passed $500 million worldwide shortly after release, underscoring how valuable Jackson’s image remains nearly two decades after his death. That commercial success also raises the stakes inside probate court, where every spending decision can ripple through licensing, legacy management and the control of future earnings.

For Paris Jackson, the ruling adds weight to a broader challenge over transparency and authority inside the estate. For the executors, it is a reminder that even a thriving business built on Michael Jackson’s legacy remains bound by court oversight, and that the battle over one of pop music’s most profitable names is far from settled.