Paris Jackson is reigniting her longstanding feud with John Branca, the executor of her father Michael Jackson’s estate. In a recent court motion, she labels Branca’s $109 million fee request for his services as “offensive” and calls for a reduction in his compensation due to what she describes as “persistent incompetence.”
Details of the Fee Dispute
The motion, filed on Friday and obtained by Rolling Stone, states that Branca failed to meet his own self-imposed deadline of September 15 for submitting complete financial accountings for the years 2023 and 2024. Instead, she claims he submitted documents that were incomplete or merely placeholders. Despite these alleged deficiencies, Branca is seeking a total of $109,219,648 for himself, his legal team, and his late co-executor, John McClain, who passed away in May.
Jackson’s Legal Arguments
In her 12-page motion, Paris critiques the executor’s ability to calculate and distribute such a substantial amount while being unable to provide complete and accurate accountings of the estate’s finances. “Paris respectfully submits that the gap between executor’s level of compensation and his persistent incompetence is intolerable,” the motion reads.
She is asking the court to lower Branca’s compensation from 15 percent to 10 percent of the estate’s gross income from entertainment-related activities. Additionally, she wants this reduction to be applied retroactively as far back as 2003 and remain until complete and accurate accountings are submitted through 2006.
Branca’s Response
In response, a spokesperson for the Branca-led estate dismissed Paris’s motion as “completely without merit.” They emphasized that the executors waived their entitlement to executor compensation from the inception of the estate, and instead have received a separate, court-ordered management fee for operating the successful Michael Jackson business.
Background on the Estate’s Executive Management
Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009, due to an accidental overdose of propofol. Following his death, Branca assumed control of managing the estate, which, at the time, was encumbered by over $500 million in debt. Under his guidance, the estate has transformed into a valued enterprise of approximately $2 billion.
Previous Legal Battles and Family Dynamics
Paris’s current legal actions come on the heels of a recent victory in which she successfully compelled three attorneys associated with her father’s estate to return $625,000 in bonuses that Branca had authorized. A ruling from retired Judge Mitchell Beckloff indicated that the estate failed to justify the bonus payments as “just and reasonable.”
At 28, Paris shares her father’s estate with her brothers, Prince, 29, and Bigi, 24. Her legal team has noted that this ongoing litigation is not an easy matter for her. “This litigation is painful for Paris. It is a distraction from her own life and her own career,” they remarked.
