Wills, Estates & Trusts
May 15, 2026
Referee orders Jackson estate firms to return bonuses
A court referee ordered three law firms to return $625,000 in bonuses paid by the Michael Jackson estate, ruling the executors failed to justify the payments under California probate rules.
In a decision impacting one of the world's most famous probate cases, a court referee has ordered three high-profile law firms to return $625,000 in "premium" bonuses paid by the Michael Jackson estate. The ruling signals a significant shift toward judicial transparency for the late celebrity's billion-dollar holdings and imposes strict new limits on how executors John Branca and John McClain compensate their legal teams.
The decision by retired judge Mitchell Be...
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