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Cher may have come out on top in her lengthy courtroom battle over Sonny Bono's royalties, but the legal victory still came with a hefty price tag.
According to a new ruling obtained by Billboard, the music icon will be responsible for paying more than $1 million in legal fees she accumulated while fighting Sonny Bono's widow, Mary Bono, over royalty payments. Although Cher prevailed in the four-year dispute, a federal judge declined her request to have Mary reimburse the $1,023,605 she spent on attorneys.
The decision stems from the 80-year-old’s long-running legal battle over royalties tied to songs she recorded with her late ex-husband, including classics like "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On." In late 2025, a federal judge ruled that Mary could not use federal copyright law to reclaim the 50 percent share of Sonny's composition royalties that Cher was awarded as part of the couple's 1978 divorce agreement.
The court also affirmed that Cher is entitled to continue receiving her share of composition and recording royalties directly, despite selling those rights to Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group in 2022. Mary had argued that payments should instead be routed through Sonny's estate. While Cher won those key issues, the judge determined the case primarily involved contract law rather than copyright law, meaning Mary was not required to cover Cher's legal expenses.
The latest legal development comes as the singer continues to face challenges on another front concerning her family. Earlier this year, court filings connected to her son Elijah Blue Allman's divorce revealed he alleged Cher stopped providing him with regular financial support in August 2021. The filing also claimed he now receives $10,000 per month from his late father Gregg Allman's trust while seeking to reduce the spousal support he pays his estranged wife.
Cher has also made multiple attempts to obtain a conservatorship over Elijah, arguing he has "no concept of money," though her most recent request was denied without prejudice in April 2026.
In addition to Elijah, Cher is mom to Chaz Bono, whom she shared with Sonny.
