Paris Jackson has been locked in a years-long courtroom standoff with the two men who control her late father Michael Jackson‘s estate — and the dispute has only grown more heated.
Here’s a breakdown of what the Wilted singer is fighting for, what the executors are pushing back on and where things stand now:
Paris Jackson Challenges Michael Jackson’s Executors
Paris has clashed publicly with John Branca and John McClain, who have run Michael’s estate since the King of Pop’s death in June 2009 at age 50. Sources close to Paris told Puck in 2025 she is “concerned that a system designed to protect an artist’s legacy has been bent over time toward preserving its own power.”
Paris and her brothers, Prince and Bigi, are the beneficiaries of Michael’s estate. Their grandmother Katherine Jackson is also cared for, following Michael’s wishes. (Michael shared Paris and Prince with Debbie Rowe, while Bigi was born via surrogate.)
Paris Jackson’s Main Objection
The fight centers on legal fees the executors paid to third-party law firms for work performed between July and December 2018. Paris told the court in 2025 that she had “serious” questions about $625,000 in “premium payments” granted for “unrecorded attorney time.”
“As painful as it is to say in print, the present records suggest a group of closely-knit, highly-compensated lawyers is exploiting the executors’ lack of oversight to skim money from the Estate, in plain view,” her attorney wrote in court filings obtained by Us Weekly.
In an October 2025 filing, Paris further compared the executors to the Wizard of Oz, accusing them of demanding the court “trust them blindly, refusing to let anyone look behind the curtain.”
The Executors’ Defense
Branca and McClain have fired back, arguing their stewardship transformed an estate “saddled with more than $500 million of debt” into one worth several billion dollars. They pointed to a 2012 investment in EMI Publishing that cost $47,500 and was sold in 2018 for $287 million — a return of more than 6,000 times.
“Few have benefited more from the Executors’ business judgment than [Paris] herself, who has received roughly $65 million from the Estate in benefits,” the executors’ attorneys argued.
A lawyer for the estate Jonathan Steinsapir told Us that the claims from Paris’ “new set of attorneys … who have no meaningful experience representing clients in the entertainment industry — are both baseless and defamatory.”
How Paris Jackson Spends Her Estate Allowance
Court documents filed in September 2025 revealed Paris received $3,273,681 in allowance payments in 2021, plus another $10,000 for home construction. The estate also covered her rent (roughly $18,500 a month), legal fees, taxes and $26,000 to a travel company.
Paris paid FreenJoy — a production company that has worked with Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and Sabrina Carpenter — a combined $123,782 for work on the music video for her song “Let Down.” She also spent $450 at Nancy Banks Studio, a Hollywood acting school.
Prince received $2,128,511.38 in allowance that year, while Bigi received $1,053,085.99. The estate, overall, holds more than $788 million in assets.
A $106,000 Legal Bill — And Paris Jackson’s Response
In January 2026, the executors submitted a $106,000 legal bill tied to their fight with Paris — $94,000 for past fees and $21,000 for future legal costs — after a judge denied her motion to block certain payments.
A rep for Paris called the ruling a “minor procedural issue” and told Us 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.”
By March 2026, Paris’ team formally opposed the estate’s motion seeking $115,355.52 in fees, calling it a “waste of resources.”
Paris Jackson’s ‘Massive Win’ in Court
In May 2026, a judge handed Paris a major victory and ruled the $625,000 in disputed bonus payments “are not approved” and thus “disallowed” and “shall be returned to the estate.” Going forward, the executors cannot make bonus payments to attorneys without written consent from all beneficiaries or a court order. Paris is also entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees for bringing the motion.
The judge still praised the executors, noting the estate has “transformed from teetering on the brink of bankruptcy” to “the financial powerhouse that it is today.”
A spokesperson for Paris called the ruling “a massive win,” adding in a statement, “After years of delay, the Jackson family will finally get the transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for.”
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
