{"id":3853,"date":"2026-05-28T18:03:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T18:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/how-latest-change-in-michael-jacksons-estate-could-impact-paris-fight-to-take-back-control\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T18:03:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T18:03:25","slug":"how-latest-change-in-michael-jacksons-estate-could-impact-paris-fight-to-take-back-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/how-latest-change-in-michael-jacksons-estate-could-impact-paris-fight-to-take-back-control\/","title":{"rendered":"How latest change in Michael Jackson&#8217;s estate could impact Paris&#8217; fight to take back control"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F3%2F2026%2F05%2F128965308.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Paris Jackson\u2019s contentious fight over her late father Michael Jackson\u2019s estate took a new turn after the estate\u2019s co-executor died this week.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, we\u2019re told entertainment attorney John Branca \u2014 who was appointed co-executor along with McClain after the King of Pop\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2009\/06\/25\/michael-jackson-dies\/\">2009 death<\/a> \u2014 will likely manage the estate on his own.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Paris Jackson (seen here on March 11) will likely have to navigate her legal battle over dad Michael Jackson\u2019s estate with a sole executor. <span class=\"credit\">BACKGRID<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Attorney Gregory Doll spoke to Page Six after Michael\u2019s estate co-executor John McClain died this week.  <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWhatever impact that McClain, as opposed to Branca, had on business decisions made by the estate is unknown,\u201d Doll shared. \u201cHe is often credited publicly with focusing on Jackson\u2019s artistic legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The trial lawyer noted that McClain\u2019s passing could result in a \u201cdifferent approach\u201d to the management of the estate if he had been \u201ca counter-balancing force to Branca.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut assuming McClain and Branca were more or less aligned in their approach to managing the estate while he was alive, nothing is likely to change after his death,\u201d Doll said. <\/p>\n<p>Therefore, the estate will continue to be managed according to Branca\u2019s \u201cbusiness judgment,\u201d Doll said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A source told Page Six that John Branca (above) will likely manage Michael\u2019s estate on his own after McClain\u2019s passing.  <span class=\"credit\">AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The estate will continue to be managed according to Branca\u2019s \u201cbusiness judgment,\u201d Doll said of the attorney (seen above in 2017). <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAnd presumably [Branca will] continue to defend against Paris\u2019s claims,\u201d Doll added. <\/p>\n<p>The legal eagle is certain that Paris\u2019 legal battle over her father\u2019s legacy will continue for \u201cyears to come.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt appears to be the default mode for this estate,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, 75-year-old Branca \u2014 now the sole executor of the estate \u2014 has the authority to appoint a successor executor, or multiple executors, should he become unable to serve, Doll explained.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>McClain (third from the left) was known for handling the creative side of Michael\u2019s estate.  <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The King of Pop (seen here in 1996) died in 2009.  <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When Michael <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2009\/10\/01\/autopsy-report-finally-comes-out\/\">died unexpectedly from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication<\/a> at the age of 50, the singer was hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.<\/p>\n<p>McClain and Branca, who were named as co-executors in Michael\u2019s 2002 will, helped turn the pop star\u2019s estate from a money pit into a multibillion-dollar business through music, film, Broadway and catalog deals.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Paris (seen here with her siblings and dad in 2008) accused Branca and McClain of mishandling her dad\u2019s estate.  <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Michael (seen here in 2005) was millions of dollars in debt when he died.  <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While McClain was known for maintaining Michael\u2019s artistic integrity through various projects, Branca\u2019s focus has been on the legal and transactional matters.<\/p>\n<p>However, Michael\u2019s 28-year-old daughter, Paris, and other family members have publicly <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/03\/24\/celebrity-news\/paris-jacksons-legal-fight-gets-nasty-with-lawyers-trying-to-take-control-of-late-fathers-estate-sources\/\">challenged the executors\u2019 management and compensation<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>In July 2025, Paris sued McClain and Branca for unauthorized or poorly documented payments, including \u201clavish\u201d fees and bonuses to themselves \u2014 claims <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/11\/14\/entertainment\/paris-jacksons-claim-against-fathers-estate-thrown-out\/\">they have repeatedly denied.<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/03\/24\/celebrity-news\/paris-jacksons-legal-fight-gets-nasty-with-lawyers-trying-to-take-control-of-late-fathers-estate-sources\/#\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Paris scored a major victory in her legal battle last week when a Los Angeles judge ruled that third-party law firms must return $625,000 in unauthorized bonus payments.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson told The Post that Paris \u201chas always been focused on what\u2019s best for her family and this ruling is a massive win for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Paris (seen here in 2025) won a legal victory last week.   <span class=\"credit\">FilmMagic<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>McClain and Branca were named as co-executors in Michael\u2019s 2002 will. (Michael is pictured above in 2002.) <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAfter years of delay, the Jackson family will finally get the transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<p>Branca and McClain <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/paris-jackson-legal-win-attorneys-return-625k-bonus-payments-michael-jackson-estate-11973862\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told People<\/a> earlier this month that they \u201cdisagree with the decision\u201d but that they \u201cplan to move forward accordingly.\u201d However, they also clarified that they did not receive any money from those bonuses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd, to be clear, none of the $625,000 in bonuses \u2014 which represent only a small fraction of the Estate\u2019s expenses for the period in question \u2014 were paid to the executors, and the court did not in any way say that the executors had made any inappropriate payments to themselves,\u201d they said in the statement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2026\/05\/28\/celebrity-news\/how-latest-change-in-michael-jacksons-estate-could-impact-paris-fight-to-take-back-control\/\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paris Jackson\u2019s contentious fight over her late father Michael Jackson\u2019s estate took a new turn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3854,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/128965308.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}