Cher and Mary Bono remain locked in a bitter power struggle over music royalties , even after a judge ruled last May that the singer’s 1978 divorce agreement with ex-husband Sonny Bono was strong enough to fend off Mary’s attempt to recapture his publishing profits. At a court hearing Monday, a lawyer representing Mary argued that Cher’s right to collect her 50 percent share of composition royalties for hit songs including “I Got U Babe” and “The Beat Goes On” ended for good on July 1, 2022. That was the date Irving Azoff ‘s Iconic Artists Group took possession of Cher’s music catalog in a deal that included her partial stake in Sonny’s compositions awarded under the couple’s marriage settlement agreement (MSA).
Mary’s lawyer argued that Cher should be locked out of any access to the royalties placed in an escrow account after June 30, 2022. The lawyer said Cher had no standing to pass the money along to Iconic, as requested. “She’s not entitled to a third party’s royalties.
She’s not entitled to Iconic’s royalties. That’s an issue between Iconic and Mary Bono,” lawyer Daniel Schacht argued in a federal courtroom in downtown Los Angeles. “She’s not entitled to the royalties that she doesn’t own.
” In response, Cher’s lawyer argued that Mary’s position was illogical considering the court’s prior ruling protecting Cher’s rights. “Cher sought [the royalties]. She’s entitled to them.
And she’s obligated to pay them over t.