The Decade of the MJ Estate: Legal Cases

LeslieMJ

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However MJ is not around for over a decade now, his Estate was still busy with legal fights. Below is a summary of the most known ones:


ONGOING CASES

Tohme R. Tohme vs John Branca
Earlier the parties counter sued each other demanding for financial compensations from both sides. MJ's last business manager and the MJ Estate reached an agreement in these cases on May 21 2019, but now Tohme claims that the MJ Estate added new terms to the deal a few days after this agreement was done. As Tohme can't enforce the settlement agreements, the decade long legal case continues with the next hearing on March 19.

Optimum Productions Inc vs. Home Box Office
The MJ Estate is suing HBO for breaking a 1992 contract as part of defending MJ against the defamatory picture the "Leaving Neverland" documentary painted of him. The district court found that the 1992 agreement's arbitration clause remains enforceable, therefore the parties are in arbitration since late September.

IRS vs. Estate of Michael Jackson
However the amount the tax authorities demand from the MJ Estate was lowered multiple times, the case is still ongoing.

Wade Robson vs. MJJ Productions Inc
Due to a change in California law by January 1 2020, both Robson and James Safechuck can and will sue the MJ Estate again for financial compensation over their claims.



IP CASES

MJJ Productions Inc vs. The Walt Disney Company
The parties agreed out of court and the MJ Estate asked for the case to be closed in late 2019. In the original complaint the MJ Estate accused Disney of using MJ's copyrighted materials in one of their unauthorised documentaries.

Michael Lehmann Boddicker vs. The Estate of Michael Joseph Jackson
A musician sued MJ's Estate over claims of unpaid work for MJ in the late 80s. The case has been removed in 2017 for the request of the plaintiff.

Triumph International vs. Gourmetgiftbaskets.com Inc.
The MJ Estate sued this company over the KingOfPop.com domain they purchased and used to promote their food products. The case was closed in 2017 as the parties reached a confidential agreement.

Tatiana Thumbtzen vs. Triumph International Inc
The MJ Estate was a minor party in the related cases. Thumbtzen, who played MJ's girlfriend in the 1988 "The Way You Make Me Feel" video claimed that her likeness was used without her approval in games and other materials. Thumbtzen was never granted with any financial compensations and all cases has been closed.

Optimum Productions vs. Premiere Props Inc
The MJ Estate sued this company as they wanted to sell some pictures from the Victory on an auction. The court prevented the company from the sale and the case has been closed in 2016.

Hologram USA Inc vs. MJJ Productions Inc
The MJ Estate was a minor party in this case, where two hologram companies were arguing over related patents. The case has been dismissed in 2015.

Jonzun vs. The Estate of Michael Joseph Jackson
The plaintiff claimed rights in the song "This Is It" and sued the MJ Estate on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2014. His claims have been rejected on all occasions.

Noval Williams Films LLC vs. John Branca
The plaintiff sued the MJ Estate over photos and videos taken at the last professional photo-shooting MJ had back in 2007. The MJ Estate rejected to purchase the materials but also claimed that they have ownership in the materials, what scared off the potential buyers of Noval. The Plaintiff sought for a judgement against the MJ Estate.

Quincy Jones vs. MJJ Productions Inc
In this widely discussed case Jones was demanding for unpaid royalty fees from the MJ Estate. The case has been settled and Jones has been awarded for a larger sum.

Sidney Earl Swanson vs. MJJ Productions Inc
Swanson accused the MJ Estate and some other parties of copyright infringement in regards of the song "Chicago". The case has been dismissed without a settlement.

John G. Branca vs. Heal The World Foundation
One of the earliest cases the MJ Estate was engaged in. They accused a few individuals of using MJ's trademarks without approval. All the related cases have been closed in favour of the MJ Estate.


FINANCIAL CLAIMS

Atkins Thomson Solicitors vs. John Branca
A UK law firm demanded for 200,000 USD for unpaid invoices regarding services done for MJ. The plaintiff asked for a dismissal in 2017.

Broderick Morris vs. John Branca
Along with some other parties he claimed ownership in The Michael Jackson Company based on a contract MJ signed back in 2007. The case is not closed yet, however there has been no updates since 2017.

Kevin Kinsey vs. John Branca
The financial services company sued the MJ Estate over unpaid bills. They claimed that they helped MJ in 2006 to reorganise the financing of Neverland, but have not been paid finally. The case was closed in 2016.

Jurgen Bachus vs. Estate of Michael Jackson
One of the longest lasting legal cases: Bachus was a business partner of Dieter Wiesner, MJ's manager around the early 2000s, and financed a merchandising deal that never happened. Bachus and the MJ Estate was in discussions for a while and in 2013 he has been awarded by financial compensations.

AQ Consulting vs. John Branca
The consulting company claimed that they helped MJ to refinance his 300M USD debts in 2006, but were not paid. Their demands for 1,2M USD compensation was closed by the judge in 2011 as the plaintiff could not prove his reasons.

Nederlander Presentations vs. John Branca
The plaintiff made a contract with MJ in 2008 to produce a Broadway musical based on MJ's music and life. Nederlander filed for financial compensation as the musical was never realised. The parties made an out of court agreement and the case was closed in 2011. Interestingly the 2020 MJ musical will take place in one of the theaters owned by Nederlander.



BOGUS CASES

Karen Wickman vs. The Jackson Estate
A bogus lawsuit from a lady mixing MJ's name in weird stories. It has been dismissed early on.

Kimberyl L. Griggs vs, Michael Jackson
The plaintiff claimed that she had a romantic relationship with MJ over the decades and demanded for financial compensation from the court. The case has been closed shorty after in 2013.

Erle Bonner vs. Michael Jackson
This individual sued the MJ Estate for MJ hiding the cure for the herpes. The case has been removed shortly.



OTHER CASES

Sharad Chandra Patel vs. John Branca
The mother of MJ's former business partner in entertainment project sued the MJ Estate over a planned documentary that was never finished. The judge closed the case in 2015.

Henry Vaccaro vs. John Branca
This story started almost 30 years ago. In a nutshell the plaintiff is the owner of the largest Jackson memorabilia owner on the world and got in some legal fights with MJ and later the MJ Estate. The latest one in 2011 finally granted the MJ Estate with a security interest in the memorabilia and signed a mutual nondisparagement agreement. Vaccaro stated in 2015 that the MJ Estate violated this agreement when they emailed Core Media, a possible buyer to acquire Vaccaro's share in the collection.

Vera Serova vs. MJJ Productions Inc
A fan accused the MJ Estate of faking some of vocal recordings in certain songs on the "Michael" album. The case seems to be pending, however there has been no updates for over 3 years now.

Demann Entertainment vs. John Branca
MJ's manager from the 80s sued the MJ Estate over a contract that grants 10% of MJ's incomes from the albums created between 1978 and 1983. The parties made an out of court agreements.

Jose Freddie Vallejos vs. Estate of Michael Jackson
A Los Angeles tax payer sued the MJ Estate and AEG to pay for the costs of the policing on MJ's funeral back in 2009. The request has been rejected by the court.
 
Erle Bonner vs. Michael Jackson
This individual sued the MJ Estate for MJ hiding the cure for the herpes. The case has been removed shortly.
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?????? just when you thought you had heard it all ?
 
Lord, what MJ had to put up with. Even Tyler Perry talked about how he have to fight over 100 law false lawsuits. See how stupid and easy it is to sue.
 
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