Paris Jackson Petitions Court for $600 Million Distribution From Estate

Paris Jackson, the daughter of the late entertainer Michael Jackson, has petitioned a Los Angeles probate court to order a $600 million distribution from her father's estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. In legal filings submitted to the court, Jackson argued that she and her brothers have waited more than 17 years for the family trust to be properly funded since their father's death in June 2009.

According to the legal documents, the late singer always intended for his children—including brothers Prince and Bigi Jackson—to receive income from the trust upon turning twenty-first years old. The filing highlighted that those milestones have long passed, and noted that the beneficiaries are approaching another significant age threshold where they were slated to begin receiving outright principal distributions, with Prince turning 30 in four months, Paris turning 29 in April, and Bigi turning 25 in February.

Jackson's legal team pointed out that the estate has amassed substantial wealth through various high-profile business deals, property sales, and catalog transactions. These include the 2018 sale of the estate's interest in EMI Music Publishing to Sony, the sale of Neverland Ranch in 2020, and a 2023 agreement with Sony regarding intellectual property assets. The attorneys estimated that the estate holds roughly $600 million in distributable cash, even after accounting for potential liabilities.

In the petition, Jackson also directed criticism at the estate's remaining executor, John Branca, accusing him of exercising strict control over the siblings and utilizing his power to deter them from questioning administrative decisions. The filing claimed that when Jackson began raising concerns about the administration last year, her objections were met with aggressive litigation, public attacks, and reductions in payments to her and her brothers.

Representatives for the Michael Jackson Estate firmly rejected the allegations, telling reporters that the claims regarding withheld or reduced payments were a complete fabrication. An estate spokesperson stated that more than $200 million has already been distributed to or for the benefit of Paris and the other beneficiaries, adding that the trust could not be fully funded yet because certain legal matters remain unresolved.

Specifically, the estate pointed to ongoing litigation with the Internal Revenue Service, which previously sought $700 million in taxes and penalties. Although a court ruling significantly reduced that amount, the tax dispute is not entirely settled and could still shift the estate's financial obligations. Furthermore, the estate noted that under the terms of the singer's will, children do not receive full capital distributions until reaching their thirties, thirties-fives, and forties.

The legal disagreement between the beneficiaries and the estate leadership is scheduled for a court hearing in Los Angeles this coming December, where a judge will review the petition for preliminary distribution and hear arguments from both sides.