In a decisive legal victory for Michael Jackson’s estate, a California appeals court has affirmed that the estate’s executors can proceed with a USD 600 million sale of the late pop icon’s music catalogue to Sony Music. The ruling, which comes despite objections from Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, clears the way for the high-value transaction and upholds the estate’s management decisions, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Michael Jackson’s Estate to Sell Half of the Late Singer’s Music Catalog For $800-$900 Million, to be the Biggest Catalog Sale in Music History – Reports.
The appeals court, issuing a final judgment on Wednesday, dismissed Katherine Jackson’s claims that the sale contravened Michael Jackson’s wishes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the court’s decision finalises a tentative ruling from the previous month, confirming that the executors of Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain, acted within their authority as granted by the singer’s will.
“The will gave the executors broad powers of sale, with no exception for the specific assets at issue in this case,” the court stated in its ruling. “As such, [a lower judge] 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,” the court stated, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The ruling addresses not only the validity of the sale but also rejects Katherine Jackson’s appeal on procedural grounds. The court reportedly noted that Katherine had forfeited her arguments by not raising them before the lower probate court. Her attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the recent decision.
The sale involves Sony Music purchasing 50 per cent of Michael Jackson’s publishing and recorded masters catalogue for over USD 600 million. The transaction had been kept confidential until the estate’s executors sought judicial approval from Judge Mitchell Beckloff due to ongoing probate proceedings that have lingered for more than 15 years since Jackson’s death in 2009.
Katherine Jackson had raised several objections to the deal, arguing that it violated her son’s wishes and that retaining the catalogue would likely yield greater value over time. Despite these concerns, Judge Beckloff approved the sale in April 2023, a decision that Katherine subsequently appealed. In their recent ruling, the appeals court reportedly addressed and rejected several of Katherine’s key arguments. Among them was her contention that the sale contravened inheritance laws by preventing the complete transfer of Jackson’s assets to his heirs.
The court reportedly countered that the sale was a strategic asset transaction rather than a gift or distribution, which would not diminish the estate’s value or hinder future asset transfers. The legal dispute has also highlighted tensions among Jackson’s heirs. In March, Jackson’s son, Blanket, intervened in the case, requesting that the court prevent Katherine from using estate funds to oppose the Sony deal. Michael Jackson Death Anniversary: From ‘Billie Jean’ to ‘Smooth Criminal’, Five Timeless Hits of the King of Pop.
While Katherine initially opposed the sale, Blanket and Jackson’s other children ultimately supported the probate judge’s decision to move forward with it, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In response to claims from Katherine’s legal team that she required estate funds for her legal battle, the estate’s executors contended that Katherine had already received substantial financial support. As per The Hollywood Reporter, since Michael Jackson’s death, she has reportedly been provided with over USD 55 million, including more than USD 33 million in cash.