Cher Wins Royalty Battle Against Sonny Bono's Heirs, But Judge Says She Must Cover Her Own Million Dollar Legal Bill

Cher successfully defended her contractual right to receive half of certain Sonny and Cher royalties, but a federal judge has refused to make Sonny Bono's widow reimburse the singer's $1,023,605.30 attorney bill. The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt on July 17, leaves the iconic performer with a costly legal victory that raises questions about how copyright law and divorce agreements intersect.

Why Did the Judge Reject Cher's Fee Request?

Cher requested $1,023,605.30 in attorney fees in January, arguing that the legal work was necessary to defeat Mary Bono's attempt to end royalty payments required by Cher and Sonny's 1978 marriage settlement agreement. Her attorneys maintained that the successful breach-of-contract and declaratory-relief claims shared the same central facts as Mary's unsuccessful counterclaim, making it unnecessary to divide the bill according to the time spent on each claim.

Kronstadt rejected the request because the court ultimately treated Cher's royalty rights as contractual rather than as rights created by the Copyright Act. Although federal copyright termination provisions triggered the dispute, Cher prevailed because the judge found that those provisions did not erase the separate payment obligations contained in the divorce agreement. According to PEOPLE, he concluded that the provision of federal copyright law cited by Cher did not authorize a fee award because her successful claims were resolved under California contract law.

What Does This Mean for Cher's Royalty Rights?

The final district court judgment, entered in November 2025, declared that a termination notice served by Sonny's heirs did not cancel or alter Cher's rights under the 1978 settlement. The agreement gave Cher 50% of qualifying composition royalties from songs written or acquired before February 1974. It also assigned her half of the receipts from certain recording contracts entered into before the couple separated.

Kronstadt awarded Cher $187,534.91 in composition royalties that Mary had received and retained, plus prejudgment interest at an annual rate of 7% beginning in February 2022. Earlier proceedings also established that Wixen Music Publishing was holding $418,156.82 in composition royalties that would otherwise have been distributed to Cher as of June 30, 2022. That amount was distinct from the $187,534.91 damages award entered against Mary.

Mary retained discretion, subject to the rights of Sonny's four children, to choose the heirs' royalty administrator. Cher may still raise reasonable objections concerning the administrator's qualifications, contract terms and fees.

How Did This Dispute Start?

Cher and Sonny became one of the defining pop duos of the 1960s with recordings including 'I Got You Babe' and 'The Beat Goes On.' Their 1978 settlement continued dividing covered publishing and recording income after their marriage and performing partnership ended. After Sonny died in a skiing accident in 1998, Mary became the administrator of his estate. In 2016, his heirs served a termination notice under a provision allowing authors or their heirs to reclaim certain previously transferred copyrights.

Mary argued that the termination eliminated Cher's right to continue receiving half of Sonny's royalties. Cher maintained that the heirs could reclaim copyrights without invalidating the separate financial obligation created by the divorce settlement, and Kronstadt agreed.

What's Next in the Case?

Mary filed her appeal in December 2025. The public Ninth Circuit docket shows the case was temporarily closed for mediation, with a conference scheduled for July 23 and the administrative closure extended through July 30. This means the legal fight over royalties from the Sonny and Cher catalog is far from over.

FAQ: Key Questions About the Cher Royalty Case

Why did Cher have to pay her own legal fees if she won?

The judge ruled that federal copyright law, which allows fee shifting, did not apply because Cher's victory was based on California contract law, not the Copyright Act. So the legal fees were not recoverable under the statute she cited.

What royalties are at stake in this dispute?

The case covers 50% of composition royalties from songs written or acquired before February 1974, plus half of receipts from certain recording contracts entered into before Cher and Sonny separated in 1978.

Can Sonny Bono's heirs still appeal the decision?

Yes, Mary Bono filed an appeal in December 2025, and the case is currently in mediation at the Ninth Circuit. A conference was scheduled for July 23, and the mediation period has been extended through July 30.