Cher won the central royalty dispute with Sonny Bono’s widow, Mary Bono. In a final judgment filed November 26, 2025, a federal judge ruled that a 2016 copyright-termination notice did not affect Cher’s royalty rights under her 1978 marriage settlement agreement with Sonny. The court awarded Cher $187,534.91 in composition royalties Mary Bono had received and retained, plus prejudgment interest. The judgment also upheld Cher’s 50% interest in specified composition and record royalties and her approval rights over certain contracts.
What Cher won
The judgment enforces particular rights in the August 10, 1978 Marriage Settlement Agreement (MSA); it does not transfer the entire Sonny Bono catalog to Cher. It recognizes her ownership in perpetuity of an undivided 50% interest in covered composition and record royalties, including composition royalties due on or after July 1, 2022, regardless of when they are paid.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Very Best of Cher | $14.54 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits | $9.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Cher - Greatest Hits | $8.52 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Cher - Greatest Hits: 1965-1992 [Import #1/Geffen]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61qzrOjKamL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Cher - Greatest Hits: 1965-1992 [Import #1/Geffen] | $10.47 | Buy on Amazon |
The composition category covers receipts after July 14, 1978 connected to musical compositions written or acquired before February 1, 1974, subject to the MSA’s stated costs and administration fee. The agreement also covers half of receipts under specified recording contracts made before the couple separated. Cher has approval rights over third-party contracts concerning the musical compositions.
The court’s cash award was specifically $187,534.91 in composition royalties Mary Bono received and retained in breach of the MSA. The judgment added prejudgment interest at 7% per year from February 1, 2022, through entry of judgment. That award is not a valuation of the catalog or a total of all royalties involved in the dispute.
#1 Best Overall
Why the 2016 copyright notice did not override the agreement
Mary Bono and others served a termination notice on September 30, 2016, under Section 304(c) of the Copyright Act. The district court concluded that it did not terminate or otherwise affect Cher’s rights under the MSA. In its May 29, 2024 order, the court explained that the relevant agreement was executed on August 10, 1978. Section 304(c), as applied in that ruling, concerns a transfer or license of renewal copyright, or a right under it, executed before January 1, 1978.
The final judgment stated: “The September 30, 2016, Notice of Termination (the ‘Notice of Termination’) served on behalf of Defendant and others under Section 304(c) of the Copyright Act did not terminate or otherwise have any effect on the August 10, 1978, Marriage Settlement Agreement (‘MSA’) between Plaintiff and Sonny Bono.” The final judgment records the court’s case-specific holding; it should not be read as a general ruling that copyright termination notices cannot affect music rights.
Rank #2
Who chooses the royalty administrator
Cher did not receive unilateral control over the selection of a royalty administrator. Subject to the rights of Sonny Bono’s four children, Mary Bono may select the administrator, including an entity controlled by the heirs. Cher may raise reasonable objections to the proposed agreement’s terms, such as the administration fee, and to the administrator’s credentials and qualifications.
Case timeline and later developments
- August 10, 1978: Cher and Sonny Bono executed the MSA.
- September 30, 2016: Mary Bono and others served the termination notice at issue.
- October 13, 2021: Cher filed the federal action, according to the district court’s 2024 order.
- May 29, 2024: The district court granted Cher declaratory relief and granted her breach-of-contract claim in part, leaving some damages questions unresolved at that stage. The order explains the court’s reasoning on the notice and the MSA.
- November 26, 2025: The court entered final judgment, upheld the specified MSA rights, awarded $187,534.91 plus interest, and addressed administrator selection and costs.
- December 29, 2025: Mary Bono’s appeal was docketed in the Ninth Circuit as No. 25-8085. The docket listing, last retrieved April 29, 2026, showed administrative closure extended through July 30, 2026, and a mediation conference scheduled for July 23, 2026. That listing does not establish what happened after April 29.
- July 20, 2026: Digital Music News reported that Judge John A. Kronstadt denied Cher’s request for Mary Bono to reimburse more than $1 million in attorneys’ fees. The report concerns legal expenses, not the underlying royalty rights.
What remains distinct
The district court’s final royalty judgment and the later attorneys’ fee decision address different issues. The fee request’s reported denial did not erase the royalty rights recognized in the judgment. The available Ninth Circuit docket information is dated through April 29, 2026, so it does not establish whether the appeal was later resolved.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Oh No Not My Baby
- Whenever You're Near
- Many Rivers To Cross (Live From The Mirage)
- Love And Understanding
- Save Up All Your Tears
Rank #3
- CHER
- R&P INTERNATIONAL
- INTERNATIONAL
- MUSIC
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
