Michael Jackson estate wins ruling on $600million Sony sale – despite mother’s objections

nme.com:

Michael Jackson‘s estate can continue with its sale of the late musician’s catalogue to Sony Music.The ruling rejected Jackson’s mother – Katherine’s – objections which aimed to stop the sale from going forward.

It came a month after the court had issued a tentative ruling against her and finalized that decision yesterday (August 21) ruling that Jackson’s estate executors – John Branca and John McClain did not violate the King Of Pop’s terms while making the deal with Sony.“The will gave the executors broad powers of sale, with no exception for the specific assets at issue in this case,” the court wrote (per The Hollywood Reporter). “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.”Earlier this year, Billboard reported that the Jackson estate and Sony Music had reached a deal in which the music giant would be able to purchase half of the ‘Thriller’ singer’s publishing and recorded masters catalogue for over $600million.The then-confidential deal was taken to Judge Mitchell Beckloff for approval due to the estate being pending before a Los Angeles probate court over 15 years after Jackson died in 2009.His mother filed objections, sharing that the sale had “violated Michael’s wishes”, adding that the catalogue would likely continue to increase value over time if retained.Beckloff went on to reject Katherine’s objections in 2023 and ruled that the deal between the estate and the music giant could proceed.

This week’s ruling was in result of Katherine’s filed appeal.“The proposed transaction is not a gift or distribution of estate assets—it is an asset sale, pursuant to which the estate.