Cher Must Pay $1 Million in Legal Fees to Sonny Bono's Widow

Singer Cher has been ordered by a judge to pay $1,023,605.30 in legal fees incurred during her protracted legal dispute with Mary Bono, the widow of her former husband, Sonny Bono. The ruling, made in January of this year, denies Cher's request for Mary Bono to cover these costs, meaning Cher will be responsible for the full amount.

The legal battle originated in 2021 when Cher, whose real name is Cheryl Sarkisian, sued Mary Bono, alleging that royalties from songs co-written and performed with Sonny Bono were being withheld. Cher sought $1 million in damages, claiming Mary Bono was attempting to use a provision of the Copyright Act of 1976 to terminate Cher's rights to their hit songs, including "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On." In May 2024, a judge had previously ruled that Cher was owed over $418,000 in unpaid royalties, but this did not resolve the ongoing legal conflict.

Cher and Sonny Bono were a highly successful musical duo known as Sonny & Cher. They were married from 1969 to 1975. Sonny Bono passed away in a skiing accident in 1998. The couple also had a child together, Chaz Bono. The dispute over royalties and legal fees highlights the complex financial and legal entanglements that can arise from long-term creative partnerships, even after the dissolution of personal relationships and the passing of one of the collaborators.