Katherine Jackson, mother of the late Michael Jackson, has had her appeal regarding the potential sale of her son’s estate rejected.
As reported by People, court documents submitted on Wednesday (Aug. 21) reveal that a Los Angeles judge denied Jackson’s request to prevent the sale of half of her son’s music catalogue to Sony for $600 million.
The judge determined that the sale aligns with the trust’s stipulations and deemed Jackson’s objections to be without merit.
Although Katherine Jackson asserts that her son expressed a desire for his assets to be preserved within the family indefinitely before his passing, the judge referenced Jackson’s will, which grants his executors complete authority over his estate.
“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 reads.
“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.”
The recent ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal dispute involving Katherine Jackson and the co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate, attorney John Branca and A&R executive John McClain, who also serve as trustees of the Michael Jackson Family Trust.
In February 2023, reports indicated that the estate was preparing to sell 50% of the late singer’s music catalogue, aiming for a sale price between $800 million and $900 million, with Sony Music and other entities identified as potential buyers.
Branca and McClain had previously submitted a petition to obtain approval for the sale, which was granted despite objections from Katherine Jackson.
According to Michael Jackson’s will, the estate is intended to be transferred to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, with his three children—Prince, 27, Paris, 26, and Bigi, 22—designated as beneficiaries.
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