A Los Angeles appeals court has rejected an attempt by Michael Jackson's mother to prevent the singer's estate from selling a portion of his songs to Sony Music Group for about $600 million.
The appeals court on Wednesday upheld an earlier probate court ruling that Katherine Jackson's objections to the transaction were invalid.
The appeals court ruled that Michael Jackson's will gives the musician's executors “broad powers to buy and sell assets of the estate in the best interest of the estate” while stipulating that “all assets of the estate shall be distributed to the trust,” of which the artist's mother and children are beneficiaries.
Katherine Jackson had attempted to argue that those provisions were contradictory, but the appeals court disagreed.
The appeals court also rejected Katherine Jackson’s challenge on the grounds that she “waived her claim that the proposed transaction violates the terms of Michael’s will because she did not make that claim” in a lower court.
According to court documents, Katherine Jackson had previously complained that selling Michael Jackson's catalog assets would violate her son's wishes, but acknowledged that the executors had the power to do so. The appeals court also noted that Katherine Jackson was the only family member and beneficiary of the trust to formally object to the sale.
An attorney for Katherine Jackson did not immediately respond to The Times' request for comment Thursday.
“We conclude that the provisions are not inconsistent: read together, they provide executors with broad powers to administer the estate’s assets while the estate remains in probate, and they provide for the transfer of all assets of the estate to the trust when the probate action is concluded,” Wednesday’s opinion reads.
“The proposed transaction is consistent with the terms of Michael’s will as interpreted and therefore the probate court did not abuse its discretion in granting the executors’ petition.”
In February, Sony Music Group closed a deal to buy half of Michael Jackson's masters for at least $600 million, according to Billboard.
Times news researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.
