Paris Jackson challenges MJ's estate spending: Co-executors call her claims 'meritless'

Paris Jackson has expressed disagreement with the way the co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate handle his finances, specifically in regard to future projects including a biopic. The co-executors of the estate, John Branca and John McClain, responded to these objections in probate court in Los Angeles, and attempted to defend their management and accused Paris of an inadequate understanding of the motion picture business.

Executors push back against Paris Jackson’s claims

Branca and McClain have acted as managers of Michael Jackson's estate since his passing in 2009, with their most recent response filed on Thursday. It highlighted their long history of success in generating millions of dollars in revenue from the estate. The court documents also state that Paris Jackson has already received $65 million from her father's estate.

The objection is based on the assertion that the executors will ‘enrich and aggrandize’ themselves due to their role as producers of the biopic. Paris also expressed her disapproval of casting Miles Teller to portray younger Michael Jackson. The executors' filing refers to these concerns as unfounded. The filing states, “These meritless objections are a profound waste of the court's time and, ironically, the estate's money.”

Jonathan Steinsapir, the attorney of the executors said, “The objections complain about the executors' qualifications to act as producers but seem to be wholly ignorant of the fact that the executors have produced several projects involving Michael Jackson. Those efforts have been wildly successful.”

The co-executors mentioned numerous past works. The 2009 documentary Michael Jackson This is It is now considered the highest grossing concert documentary of all time by surpassing Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour (Theatrical Film) released in 2023.

The estate argued that the financial settlement made in 2021 by Quincy Jones, who was Michael Jackson’s production partner, was a “prudent business decision made to effectively guarantee peace with Quincy Jones and his heirs forever.” The executors of the estate explained that funds had been placed in escrow because of an IRS requirement due to litigation concerning Michael Jackson's interest in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, so they could not invest in stock or bonds in 2021.

The filing also stated that, “The executors recognize that they are, by definition, the 'grown-ups' here, that is the whole point of a fiduciary. No payment made by this estate, in its 16 year history, has been disallowed.”

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