A California appeals court has made a final ruling that allows the sale of Michael Jackson’s $600 million catalog to Sony Music, dismissing objections raised by his mother, Katherine Jackson, who sought to prevent the transaction.
After issuing a preliminary decision against Katherine Jackson last month, the court finalized its ruling on Wednesday. The decision confirmed that the estate’s executors, John Branca and John McClain, acted within their legal authority as outlined in Michael’s will when they completed the substantial deal with Sony.
The court highlighted that Michael Jackson’s will granted the executors broad authority to sell estate assets without specific exceptions, supporting the lower court’s conclusion that this was his intent.
The court also dismissed Katherine Jackson’s appeal on procedural grounds, noting that she forfeited her arguments by not presenting them earlier in a lower probate court.
Katherine Jackson’s legal team has yet to comment on the ruling. While she has the option to appeal to the California Supreme Court, the likelihood of overturning the decision is low.
Earlier reports indicated that the Jackson estate had reached an agreement with Sony Music, under which Sony would acquire half of the singer’s publishing and recorded masters catalog for more than $600 million.
Given that the Jackson estate is still under the jurisdiction of a Los Angeles probate court over 15 years after Michael Jackson’s death, the executors sought approval for the deal from Judge Mitchell Beckloff. Katherine Jackson opposed the sale, arguing that it went against Michael’s wishes and that the catalog might increase in value if held longer.
In April 2023, Judge Beckloff rejected her objections and allowed the sale to move forward. Katherine Jackson then appealed, leading to Wednesday’s final ruling.
The court’s recent decision dismissed several of Katherine’s key arguments, including her claim that the sale would violate inheritance laws by preventing Michael’s assets from being fully transferred to his heirs. The court reiterated that Michael’s will granted Branca and McClain full authority to make such decisions while managing the estate.
The sale is considered an asset transaction, meaning the estate will receive a substantial payment and retain interest in a joint venture, which preserves the estate’s overall value.
The legal battle over the Sony deal has highlighted divisions within the Jackson family. In March, Michael’s son Blanket requested that the court stop his grandmother from using estate funds to fight the deal. Although Blanket and Michael’s other children initially opposed the sale, they eventually accepted the probate judge’s decision.
Later that same week, the estate responded to claims from Katherine’s lawyers that she needed estate funds for her legal expenses, pointing out that she had received over $55 million since Michael’s death and that the estate had rarely denied her requests for care or maintenance, including over $33 million in cash.
A representative for the estate’s executors declined to comment on the court’s final decision.
This story was originally posted by Billboard.com
