Overview
- Court documents obtained Wednesday, May 13 revealed private referee Mitchell L. Beckloff disallowed $625,000 in 2018 bonus payments to outside law firms and ordered the money returned to the estate.
- The order bars executors John Branca and John McClain from making bonus payments to attorneys without written consent from all beneficiaries or a court order.
- Beckloff said Paris Jackson may seek an award of reasonable attorneys' fees under the common fund theory for bringing the successful objection.
- The ruling requires the estate to withhold 30% of attorneys' fees going forward until the court approves them and to file petitions accounting for legal fees from 2019 through 2024 by September 15, 2026.
- The court praised the executors for transforming the once debt-laden estate into a financial powerhouse, and the executors said none of the disputed funds went to them personally and that they respect, though disagree with, parts of the decision.