Cher has been ordered to cover more than $1 million in her own legal fees after a lengthy court battle over royalties from the classic songs she recorded with her late ex-husband Sonny Bono.

Although the music icon won her lawsuit over unpaid royalties, a federal judge ruled that she is responsible for paying the legal costs she incurred during the case.

The Dispute Began in 2021

Cher first filed the lawsuit in 2021 against Mary Bono, Sonny Bono’s widow, seeking $1 million in damages. She claimed that royalties from hit songs such as “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On” were being wrongfully withheld.

The singer argued that her 1978 divorce agreement entitled her to receive 50% of the royalties from the duo’s recordings and that those rights could not legally be terminated.

In 2024, a California judge ruled in Cher’s favor, awarding her more than $418,000 in unpaid royalties after determining she was entitled to her share under the existing agreements.

Following that victory, Cher’s legal team asked the court to require Mary Bono to reimburse more than $1.02 million in attorney’s fees, arguing that the lawsuit had been successfully prosecuted.

Why the Court Denied the Request

A federal judge rejected the request, explaining that the dispute centered on contract law, rather than federal copyright law. Because of that distinction, the court ruled that Cher could not recover her legal expenses from the opposing side.

As a result, Cher will be responsible for paying the legal fees herself, despite prevailing in the royalties dispute.

The ruling brings another chapter to a years-long legal battle involving the music rights of Sonny & Cher, whose partnership produced some of the most recognizable songs of the 1960s.

While Cher successfully secured the royalties she claimed were owed, the latest decision means the cost of achieving that victory will exceed $1 million in attorney’s fees.