Paris Jackson’s legal standoff with the executors of Michael Jackson’s estate has hit a notable pause, as a Los Angeles referee sided with the estate on key procedural points that undercut parts of her latest petition.
The decision was made by retired Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff, who is overseeing the dispute.
According to court records obtained by People, Beckloff agreed with executors John Branca and John McClain that several sections of Paris’ filing should be removed. Their argument centered on California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which shields parties from retaliatory claims rooted in their own protected court filings.
A representative for Paris pushed back on the impact of the ruling, telling People that the decision “is limited to minor procedural issues” and doesn’t change her broader concerns.
“The pattern of behavior displayed by the executors and their attorneys raises significant red flags,” the statement continued, adding that an amended petition will be submitted.
Paris’ filing challenges financial decisions made by Branca and McClain, who have led the estate since 2009. She alleges the executors approved payments to attorneys without sufficient oversight, citing non-contractual gifts as high as $250,000 and what she describes as irregular bonuses.
Her petition also seeks a review of a 2010 order that allows the estate to issue certain legal payments without prior court approval.
In the petition, Paris argued that a “five-year and growing lag” in reviewing fees has made it difficult for beneficiaries—including herself and her brothers, Prince and Bigi—to properly assess the estate’s spending. She also requested that the executors file specific petitions for attorney payments covering the years 2019 through 2023.
While the motion to strike did not directly address the accuracy of her financial allegations, the estate maintained that Paris’ petition relied on their own court submissions, which they argued qualified as protected activity. Beckloff agreed, granting their request to remove those portions and ruling that the executors are entitled to attorneys' fees related to the motion.
The ruling marks the latest development in a complex, years-long back-and-forth. Previous filings from the estate noted that Paris has received approximately $65 million in benefits derived from her father’s assets—funds they claim were generated through strategic management that helped pull the estate out of more than $500 million in debt.