Paris Jackson’s legal attempt to challenge the executors overseeing her late father Michael Jackson’s multimillion-dollar estate has suffered a major setback.
According to a new PEOPLE reportA recent court ruling could leave Paris footing the bill for the estate’s attorney fees after a key part of its petition was invalidated.
On Monday, November 10, Los Angeles Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff granted the estate’s special motion to expunge most of Paris’s case, ruling in favor of longtime executors John Branca and John McClain.
The judge determined that much of Paris’ challenge targeted documents submitted to the court by the estate, an activity that falls under California’s anti-SLAPP protections, which protect parties from lawsuits targeting their legal motion efforts.
The ruling leaves only a small portion of the 27-year-old musician’s claims intact, while the estate walks away with a significant legal and financial victory.
Two days later, Branca and McClain formally filed a notice of decision, emphasizing the court’s strong support for their position.
A spokesperson for Paris Jackson responded to PEOPLEsaying,
“This order is limited to minor procedural matters and does not change the facts: the behavior displayed by the executors and their attorneys raises important red flags, and Paris will continue to work to ensure that his family is treated fairly. We will submit an updated brief shortly.”
