Cher, fondly dubbed ‘Goddess of Pop,’ has to bear her own legal fees of USD 1 million in the case against Sonny Bono’s widow, Mary Bono. While the 80-year-old triumphed in the legal case for unpaid royalties in May 2024, the court denied her bill for attorney fees. After Mary stopped the payments to Cher, the singer hired the top lawyers to secure the win in the case – but now, she must cover the payments.Here’s a closer look at the legal conflict between Cher, Sonny Bono, and Mary Bono.
Cher and Sonny Bono: The hit collaboration
Cher and Sonny Bono collaborated after she rose to fame in the 1960s. As part of their 1978 divorce settlement, the duo formalised a 50% split of the royalties. However, the conflict began in 2021, when Cher claimed that Mary Bono reportedly tried to terminate the deal between her and Sonny. The lawsuit allegedly claimed that Bono tried to use a ‘wholly inapplicable statutory termination provision of the Copyright Act of 1976’ to eliminate the rights deal.
Cher and Mary Bono: The royalties lawsuit
In 2024, Mary Bono was ordered to pay more than USD 418,000 in royalties to Cher after she won the lawsuit. According to Billboard, Judge John A. Kronstadt stated that Cher and Mary’s conflict revolved around a family feud over contracts and copyrights, dismissing the rules that apply for repayment.In the final judgement signed in November 2026, Mary Bono was prohibited from claiming the federal Copyright Act to reclaim the 50 percent royalties granted to Cher in her divorce agreement, per Rolling Stone.After Sonny Bono passed away in 1998 due to a skiing accident, Mary was left with sprawling real estate. However, his music rights became eligible for termination in 2018, alerting Mary to reclaim certain interests.Disclaimer: The information in this report is based on a legal hearing as reported by a third-party source. The details provided represent allegations made by the parties involved and are not proven facts. The case is ongoing, and a final verdict has not been reached. The publication does not claim that the allegations are true.
