Paris Jackson has secured a major win in her legal battle regarding her late father’s finances, and it has been ruled that $625,000 will be returned to the estate.

The singer and model has been in a long-running legal dispute for months now, expressing disagreement with the way that co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate have been handling his finances. She has accused them of mismanaging his money, not being transparent in their spending, and wasting resources from the estate.

Her stance also relates to the new biopic about the iconic singer, Michael, which she described as a risky investment and said it was “troubling” how much money from the estate had been used for the film’s budget.

John Branca and John McClain – who have managed the estate since his passing in 2009 – have repeatedly hit back at the accusations, and last month described them as “meritless”.

Now, according to court documents obtained by People, a Los Angeles judge ruled on Wednesday (May 13) that $625,000 (£468,380) in bonus payments made by Branca and McClain to third-party law firms will need to be “returned” to the estate.

Paris Jackson Scores Major Legal Win as Michael Jackson Estate Is Forced to ‘Return’ $625K in Bonus Payments https://t.co/4i5vu9BElh

— People (@people) May 13, 2026

According to the court motion, the objection to the bonus payments made in the second half of 2018 was sustained, meaning the payments are disallowed and must be returned. Furthermore, the ruling allows Paris Jackson to seek reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs related to the motion.

A spokesperson for Paris stated that she has “always been focused on what’s best for her family” and described the judge’s decision as a “massive win for them.” The representative added, “After years of delay, the Jackson family will finally get the transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for.”

Attorneys for the estate noted that while they “disagree” with the ruling, they “fully respect it and plan to move forward accordingly.” They emphasized that the executors have consistently sought court approval for legal fees and that none of the $625,000 in question was paid to the executors themselves.