Paris Jackson‘s ongoing legal battle over her late father’s estate has taken another bitter turn. In a new court filing, the singer accused Michael Jackson‘s executors of using estate funds to attack her. The courtroom battle stems from Paris’ claims that her father’s estate is being mismanaged, with executors taking advantage of their roles for personal gain.
The new document was filed following the estate’s claim that both parties were close to an agreement, but Paris reneged at the last minute.
Paris Jackson Feels Attacked
In a legal document filed by Paris Jackson’s camp on April 6, and obtained by PEOPLE, she claims that she is being attacked by Michael Jackson’s executors, John Branca and John McClain. This comes after the executors submitted a lengthy status report of the estate’s finances.
“Executors try to avoid the merits by characterizing Paris’s concerns as lawyer-driven or in service of some purported desire for media attention. Neither is true,” the document read, adding that the legal battle was “painful” for Paris.
According to Paris, she requested the estate’s annual accounting information to ensure transparency but accused Branca and McClain of operating in the shadows. “From the first day Paris dared to raise an objection, Executors have used her father’s money to attack her in the media,” the document stated, adding that the status report was used to “mock and belittle” her.
The Executors’ Lawyer Was Accused Of Being Sexist
Elsewhere in the filing, Paris claimed that the executors’ lawyer, Jonathan Steinsapir, made a sexist comment about her “strutting” on her way to court, adding that Branca and McClain were described as “grown-ups” compared to 28-year-old Paris, which she found patronizing.
“These attacks may serve Mr. Branca’s personal interest in attempting to bully Paris into submission, but they have nothing to do with the merits of the litigation and are not in the interests of the Estate. The fact that Michael Jackson’s money is paying for these attacks makes them even more offensive,” the document read.
According to Paris’ claims, the executors have received more than $10 million in payout from Michael’s estate, which she said was “more than double” the amount that has so far been distributed to the King of Pop’s beneficiaries.
The Executors Respond To Paris Jackson’s Filing
Michael’s executors have responded to Paris’ latest filing, with Steinsapir telling PEOPLE that the singer’s attorneys are “abusing the courts and the legal system by making a series of false allegations.” According to him, her legal team’s latest effort is a way to distract from their “legal setbacks and inherent weakness of their case.”
Since the start of the legal battle, Branca and McClain have denied profiting from Michael’s estate. Steinsapir claims that Paris has received $65 million from her father’s estate and will inherit “many hundreds of millions more.”
Michael Jackson Was In Massive Debt When He Died
Michael was preparing for a tour when he died of propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication in 2009. Despite being one of the biggest stars in the world and having a decades-long successful career, he was reportedly more than $500 million in debt at the time of his death.
A court document detailing Michael’s finances stated that his assets were subjected to “debt and creditors’ claims, with some of the debt accruing interest at extremely high interest rates, and some debt in default.”
According to his executors, they turned Michael’s finances around and turned his estate into a “powerhouse and a force in the music business” worth billions. In 2025, Forbes named the King of Pop the highest-earning deceased celebrity, with his estate taking in $105 million that year alone. He has nabbed the top spot several times in the past years, earning a whopping $825 million in 2017.
Paris Jackson And Her Siblings Are Beneficiaries
Michael’s 2002 will was filed after his death, leaving his entire estate to the Jackson Family Trust. Branca, an attorney, and McClain, an accountant, were named as executors.
Notably, Michael excluded his father and siblings from the will, only listing his mother, Katherine, and three children, Prince, Paris, and Bigi, as the beneficiaries. He left 40 percent to his mother, another 40 percent to be divided among his three children, and the remaining 20 percent to charities. Upon Katherine’s death, her share will be divided among Michael’s children.