Michael Jackson Estate Executors Seek $115,000 in Legal Fees Amid Ongoing Dispute With Paris Jackson

The legal fight over Michael Jackson’s estate is far from over. In a new court filing, attorneys for the estate’s executors say they are owed more than $115,000 in legal fees and costs stemming from a dispute with Jackson’s daughter, Paris Jackson.

According to documents filed Friday, Jan. 9, in Los Angeles court, lawyers representing estate executors John Branca and John McClain detailed the time and expenses spent responding to a motion filed by Paris, one of the estate’s beneficiaries.

The filings state that the executors’ attorneys are seeking $93,924.63 in legal fees and $1,238.39 in costs tied specifically to an anti-SLAPP motion that was filed last year and granted by the court in November. Additional fees and costs are also being requested, bringing the total to roughly $115,000.

Anti-SLAPP motions are designed to quickly dismiss lawsuits that are seen as attempts to chill free speech. In this case, the court struck down allegations raised by Paris in a July petition. The Jan. 9 filing explains that its purpose is to “account for the fees and costs incurred by the Executors in connection with the anti-SLAPP motion so that the Court can determine the amount of the award.” Because the executors won the motion, they are legally entitled to seek reimbursement.

However, a spokesperson for Paris pushed back strongly, portraying the filing as another attempt by the executors to enrich themselves.

“For months, Paris Jackson has worked to address what appear to be troubling discrepancies and financial irregularities in the administration of her father’s estate,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “It’s no surprise the executors and their lawyers are using every tool at their disposal to take even more money from the Jackson family and use it to line their own pockets. Paris remains undeterred and will continue fighting for transparency, accountability and fairness for her family.”

Paris is one of three beneficiaries of the estate, along with her brothers Prince Jackson, 28, and Bigi Jackson, 23. In November, Paris filed new legal documents accusing Branca and McClain of abusing their positions as executors to increase their own compensation.

She alleged that in 2021 alone, the two men collected more than $10 million in fees from the estate — an amount she claimed was more than double what any beneficiary received from the family allowance that year.

The executors have denied wrongdoing. In a motion filed in October, they argued that Paris has already received approximately $65 million in benefits from the estate.

Michael Jackson died in 2009 reportedly more than $500 million in debt. In recent filings, the executors have credited themselves with transforming the troubled estate into what they describe as a “powerhouse and a force in the music business,” setting the stage for the continued legal and financial battle now playing out in court.