Los Angeles judge allows executor to keep parts of Michael Jackson estate filings confidential
A judge in Los Angeles granted estate executor John Branca's request to seal certain financial documents, a development in the ongoing litigation involving Paris Jackson's claim for a $600 million distribution from her father's estate.
A Los Angeles judge issued two rulings on Nov. 4 that permit John Branca, the longtime executor of Michael Jackson's estate, to keep specific court filings confidential. The orders seal information about the executor's attorney fees, legal costs and detailed accounting related to the estate's "Fourteenth Account Current and Report of Administration of Estate and Petition for Settlement Thereof; and for Instructions Re Family Allowance."
Judge Brenda J. Penny said public disclosure could create a substantial probability of prejudice to the estate's interests in pending litigation, future negotiations and ongoing business matters. Both motions were unopposed.
The rulings are seen as a legal win for Branca, who continues to face scrutiny over his management of the multibillion-dollar estate. The orders do not indicate whether Paris Jackson, 28, opposed the requests, nor do they directly rule against her.
In a separate order issued the same day, attorneys reported that a matter involving motions heard on Oct. 7 had been resolved, though the document did not disclose the terms or the specific issues settled.
Paris Jackson recently demanded that Branca transfer $600 million from the estate into a family trust for her and her brothers, Prince and Bigi. In a petition filed on Oct. 29, she accused Branca of withholding the siblings' inheritance and controlling the timing and amount of payments. The filing states that Michael Jackson intended his children to begin receiving income from their trusts at age 21, with portions of principal distributed at ages 30, 35 and 40, and that roughly $600 million remains available for distribution after accounting for obligations.
An estate spokesperson previously called the allegations of withheld or reduced payments a complete fabrication and said more than $200 million had already been distributed or spent for the benefit of Michael Jackson's children and other beneficiaries. The spokesperson also cited unresolved legal matters, including a dispute with the IRS, as reasons the family trust has not been fully funded. Paris's petition is scheduled for a hearing on Dec. 3.