Katherine Jackson's Latest Appeal Denied in Ongoing Legal Battle over Michael Jackson's Estate

Mar. 15, 2025

Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson in 2005.Photo:Justin Sullivan/Getty

Justin Sullivan/Getty

After nearly two years oflegal back-and-forthoverMichael Jackson’s estate, a Los Angeles court has sided with the King of Pop’s estate co-executors, effectively shutting down hismother Katherine’s repeated objections to a proposed catalog sale with a hefty price tag.

Katherine, 94, had filed multiple objections after attorney John Branca and A&R executive John McClain, the co-executors of Michael’s estate and trustees of the Michael Jackson Family Trust, received a favorable ruling last year in probate court that allowed them to move forward with a reported $600 million sale of half of Michael’s music catalog to Sony.

Prince Michael Jackson, Katherine Jackson, Blanket Jackson, and Paris Jackson attend the immortalization of Michael Jackson at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre Hand & Footprint ceremony on January 26, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.Lester Cohen/WireImage

Lester Cohen/WireImage

The Jackson family matriarch had also argued that before his death in 2009, Michael had told family members that he wanted to keep the estate assets in the family in perpetuity. But according to the new documents, that argument doesn’t hold water, as it’s Michael’s intent as expressed in his will that ultimately controls what happens.

“Here, the will gave the executors broad powers of sale, with no exception for the specific assets at issue in this case,” the court filing says. “As such, the probate court did not err in concluding that it was Michael’s intent to allow the executors to sell any estate assets, including those at issue in the proposed transaction.”

Per Michael’s will, his entire estate was to be given to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, the beneficiaries of which are his three childrenPrince, 27,Paris, 26, andBigi, 22, as well as unnamed charities.

Michael Jackson performing on his BAD Tour in 1988.Pete Still/Redferns

Pete Still/Redferns

Katherine is a life beneficiary of a portion of a sub-trust, which allows the trustees to distribute as much to the sub-trust as they deem necessary; in Katherine’s case, she’s given money for her “care, support, maintenance, comfort and well-being,” according to the filing. When she dies, any assets that were set aside for her will be passed to the kids’ share of the trust.

In November 2022, they filed a petition to approve the proposed Sony transaction, which was ultimately granted — despite Katherine’s objections. In challenging the sale, she claimed that the assets were valuable, and would appreciate over time, and that the estate didn’t need the cash the sale would bring in. She did, however, agree that the probate court could grant Branca and McClain permission to make the sale if they wanted, something noted in Wednesday’s filing.

source: people.com