Cher wins years-long legal battle over royalties with Sonny Bono’s widow
A ruling filed Wednesday said the ‘Believe’ singer should have been paid $418,000 in royalties
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Cher has won a legal battle with Mary Bono over royalties from Cher's work with late ex-husband Sonny Bono.
According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, U.S. District Judge John Kronstadt in the Central District of California on Wednesday ruled that Cher should have received just over $418,000 in royalties as of June 30, 2022.
"As to the resulting damages, the parties agree that Wixen distributed at least $187,000 of Composition Royalties to Sonny’s heirs that, but for the invalid termination, would have been distributed to [Cher]; of this amount, at least $93,500 was paid to [Mary]. The parties also do not dispute that, as of June 30, 2022, Wixen [Music Publishing] held $418,156.82 in Composition Royalties that would have been distributed to [Cher]," the judge wrote.
Representatives for Cher and Mary Bono did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Cher, left, won her lawsuit against Mary Bono, widow of her ex-husband Sonny Bono, over unpaid royalties. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
In 2021, Cher filed a $1 million lawsuit against Mary Bono and others involved in the estate, claiming breach of contract.
She claimed Mary tried to end provisions that entitle Cher to 50% ownership of the duo’s musical composition and record royalties for hits like "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On."
Documents obtained by Fox News Digital at the time cite a "1978 marriage settlement agreement" that Sonny and Cher entered into after their split. Cher claims the exes "agreed to equal division of their community property," and those were "irrevocably assigned" to her.
According to the lawsuit, "in or about 2016 the Heirs, or a majority of them, with the assistance or participation of Wixen [Music Publishing], issued a notice of termination to various music publishers or other companies to whom Sonny had granted a transfer or license of the renewal copyrights, or rights under them, in the Musical Compositions. The Heirs’ notice specified various effective dates of termination ranging from dates in 2018 to 2026."
Sonny and Cher scored hits including "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On." (Chris Walter/WireImage / Getty Images)
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Mary, the trustee of the Bono Collection Trust, exercised the Copyright Act’s "termination rights" in 2016, which allows songwriters or their heirs to "recapture … rights that had previously been transferred to third parties" after 35 years.
They alleged the termination was done "without" Cher’s "knowledge or participation."
Judge Kronstadt’s ruling Wednesday stated, "In reviewing similar agreements assigning royalty rights rather than underlying copyrights, Circuit Courts have determined that a right to receive royalties is distinct from a grant of copyright," which Mary had cited.
Cher’s claim of breach of contract was also granted in part.
Mary with Sonny Bono in 1991. (Paul Harris/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Mary’s counterclaim seeking declaratory relief as to "Cher’s rights and obligations concerning the selection of an administrator" for the estate was granted in part, meaning Mary can seek to have the estate managed by "an entity owned and controlled by Sonny’s heirs as the royalty administrator," and Cher can "make reasonable objections to the terms of any such agreement, including the reasonableness of the administration fee."
The documents did not specify how or when Cher would receive her unpaid earnings.