Cher Ordered to Pay $1 Million in Legal Fees Despite Winning Royalties Lawsuit Against Mary Bono

July 22, 2026 / Liam Redmond /

Cher won key royalty rights tied to the Sonny & Cher catalog but must pay more than $1 million in attorneys’ fees.
The lawsuit centered on royalties from classic hits including “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On.”
The ruling underscores that winning a lawsuit does not always mean the other side pays legal costs.

Cher has been ordered to pay more than $1 million in legal fees even though she won her long-running royalties lawsuit against Mary Bono, the widow of her late ex-husband and musical partner, Sonny Bono. The ruling, issued by a federal judge, has left many fans puzzled because winners usually expect to recover money, not face a hefty legal bill.

Cher did win important royalty rights tied to the Sonny & Cher catalog, but the court separately said she must cover the attorney’s fees she racked up while fighting the case. The decision has brought fresh attention to the years-long dispute over classic songs like “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On,” along with the legal rules behind the fee award.

Why Does Cher Have to Pay $1 Million in Legal Fees After Winning?

The short answer is that winning the case and paying legal fees are not always the same thing. According to court documents obtained by People, the federal judge ordered Cher to pay the legal costs she incurred while successfully pursuing the case against Mary Bono. That does not mean Cher lost the lawsuit. Instead, it reflects a separate ruling about who should absorb the cost of the litigation under the law that applied here. Legal experts often point out that attorney-fee decisions can stand apart from the outcome of the underlying case.

What Was Cher’s Royalties Lawsuit About?

At the center of the fight were royalties from songs recorded by Sonny & Cher, one of the biggest pop acts of the 1960s. In October 2021, Cher sued Mary Bono and sought $1 million in damages, saying royalties from Sonny & Cher recordings were being held back.

The lawsuit involved songs including:

“I Got You, Babe”
“The Beat Goes On”

Cher said her right to receive 50% of the royalties came from the divorce agreement she signed with Sonny Bono in 1978. She argued that those contractual rights were still valid even after later disputes involving Sonny Bono’s estate.

Who Is Mary Bono?

Mary Bono is Sonny Bono’s widow. Sonny died in a skiing accident in January 1998. She married Sonny in 1986 and later served as a Republican congresswoman representing California after his death. Because of her connection to Sonny Bono’s estate, Mary became a key figure in the dispute over royalties generated by Sonny & Cher’s music catalog. The lawsuit focused on decisions affecting royalty payments rather than ownership of Cher’s performances themselves.

What Did the Court Actually Decide?

The court sided with Cher on major parts of the royalties fight and confirmed important rights tied to the Sonny & Cher catalog. But the judge also said Cher must pay the legal fees she incurred while pursuing the case. Court records say Cher is responsible for the attorney’s fees tied to her successful prosecution of the action against Mary Bono. The ruling comes after years of arguments over royalty payments from the duo’s recordings.

Why Can Someone Win a Lawsuit but Still Be Ordered to Pay Legal Fees?

A lot of people assume the winner automatically gets the other side to pay. In the U.S., though, courts usually follow the American Rule, which means each side pays its own lawyer unless a contract or statute says otherwise. Sometimes a court can shift fees because of a contract or a law. Other times, even the winning side still has to cover its own bill. That seems to be what happened here: the fee ruling was separate from the court’s decision on the royalties dispute.

What Are Copyright Termination Rights?

One of the bigger legal issues in the Sonny & Cher dispute involved copyright termination rights. Under U.S. copyright law, creators or their heirs can sometimes reclaim rights they previously assigned after a set period. The idea is to give artists and authors a chance to renegotiate deals that may have become much more valuable over time. Those rights have become especially important in disputes involving old music catalogs, films and other creative works.

Timeline of Cher’s Legal Battle With Mary Bono

1964: Sonny and Cher marry.
1975: The couple divorce.
1978: Divorce agreement grants Cher rights to receive 50% of certain royalties.
1998: Sonny Bono dies in a skiing accident.
2021: Cher files a $1 million lawsuit against Mary Bono over allegedly withheld royalties.
Court proceedings continue: The dispute moves through federal court.
2026: Court orders Cher to pay her own attorney’s fees despite prevailing in the royalties case.

Liam Redmond

As an editor at Forbes Europe, I specialize in exploring business innovations and entrepreneurial success stories. My passion lies in delivering impactful content that resonates with readers and sparks meaningful conversations.