Judge Orders $625,000 Returned to Michael Jackson Estate

A Los Angeles judge has ruled that $625,000 in bonus payments must be returned to the estate of Michael Jackson. According to court documents filed on May 13, Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff sided with Paris Jackson and rejected the payments that were made in the second half of 2018 to executors John Branca and John McClain.

The payments went to third-party law firms that represented the estate. In June 2025, Paris Jackson objected to the payments when the executors asked the court to approve attorney compensation and costs for that period, saying the payments lacked sufficient explanation.

Court documents show that in July 2025, Paris Jackson raised broader concerns about the estate's delayed fee and accounting practices. During an evidentiary hearing, Branca testified that the estate had a historically successful year in 2018 based on certain business transactions.

Beckloff ultimately sided with Jackson. The court said it could not find the bonus payments are just and reasonable based on the information provided.

In the ruling, court documents state that Jackson is entitled to an award of reasonable attorneys' fees. A spokesperson for Jackson said the decision represented a significant outcome for the family after years of proceedings. The spokesperson added that the Jackson family will finally get the transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for.

The spokesperson also said the estate is supposed to be a prudent, fiscally responsible entity that supports the Jackson family. Attorneys for Branca and McClain issued a statement after the ruling on Wednesday. They said that while they disagree with the decision, they fully respect it and plan to move forward accordingly.

The statement from the executors' attorneys noted that the estate had transformed from teetering on the brink of bankruptcy in June 2009 when Michael Jackson died to the financial powerhouse that it is today. It added that the court had previously approved several other bonuses to outside counsel over the years for their extraordinary services.

The statement continued that 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.

The attorneys emphasized that none of the $625,000 in bonuses were paid to the executors themselves. The court did not say that the executors had made any inappropriate payments to themselves, according to the statement. In November 2025, Jackson sued her father's estate and accused the executors of abusing their roles by paying irregular premium payments and unexplained bonuses.