A Bittersweet Victory: Cher to Cover Millions in Legal Fees After Court Battle with Sonny Bono's Widow

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, a federal judge ruled that the 80-year-old singer must cover her own attorney fees, which amounted to over $1 million.

The Root of the Conflict: A Battle Over Legendary Hits

Cher and Sonny Bono were not only a hugely successful musical duo—giving the world timeless hits like “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On”—but were also married from 1964 to 1975. Under their 1978 divorce settlement, Cher was entitled to a 50% split of royalties from all songs recorded during their partnership.

However, in October 2021, Cher filed a lawsuit against 64-year-old Mary Bono (a former California congresswoman who was married to Sonny from 1986 until his tragic death in a 1998 skiing accident). The singer claimed that the widow was illegally attempting to strip her of her royalty rights by exploiting loopholes in the 1976 Copyright Act.

In May 2024, Cher scored a major victory in court: a California judge ruled in her favor, ordering Mary Bono to pay the singer over $418,000 in unpaid royalties.

Why Did the Judge Deny Legal Fee Compensation?

In January 2026, Cher’s legal team filed a motion requesting $1,023,605 from Mary Bono to cover attorney fees incurred during the successful lawsuit.

However, on July 17, 2026, Judge John A. Kronstadt denied the request. The court determined that the provision of federal copyright law allowing the winning side to recover legal fees did not apply in this specific instance, as the core of the dispute was strictly a breach of contract claim.

As a result, the legendary hitmaker will have to foot the $1 million legal bill out of her own pocket—an amount nearly double the sum of royalties she successfully won in court.