NEWS
Cher will be responsible for more than $1 million in legal expenses following an extended dispute over royalty payments.
The Believe performer submitted a request to recover the cost of her lawyers after taking legal action against Mary Bono, the widow of her former husband.
Cher, 80, spent USD$1,023,605 (£764,810.01) on highly regarded legal counsel while challenging Mary, the widow of Sonny Bono, after she ended the royalty payments previously made to the singer.
Under Cher’s 1978 divorce agreement with Sonny, she was entitled to receive a permanent 50% share of publishing income generated by songs created before their separation, including the hugely successful I Got You Babe.
Mary halted the equal royalty arrangement in 2021, which was 23 years after Sonny died in a skiing accident in 1998. She argued that she held a “termination right”.
A judge ruled in December 2025 that Cher remained entitled to those payments. Following that decision, the music icon sought reimbursement for the legal expenses she accumulated during the case against Mary.
Cher claimed Mary had “dragged” the lawsuit out without good reason by “repeatedly and frivolously” presenting “unreasonable” fresh arguments.
This week, Judge John A. Kronstadt ruled that Cher was not eligible to recover her legal bills because the case involved a dispute under contract law rather than copyright legislation.
“It has been determined that this action arises under California contract law,” the judge stated.
“In light of the foregoing, because (the Copyright Act) does not apply to the matter at issue, plaintiff's motion is denied.”
