Mary Bono Seeks Dismissal of Cher's $1 Million Copyright Lawsuit
Mary Bono has filed a motion to dismiss Cher's $1 million lawsuit regarding copyright-termination notices for Sonny and Cher's musical rights. The dispute centers on a 1978 divorce agreement between Cher and Sonny Bono.
Mary Bono in dark blazer
Key points of the legal dispute:
- Cher and Sonny's 1975 divorce agreement granted Cher 50% of their musical composition royalties, record royalties, and other assets
- In September 2021, the Bono Collection Trust issued a Section 304(c) termination notice affecting these royalties
- Mary Bono argues the lawsuit should be dismissed because:
- It's preempted by the federal Copyright Act
- The breach of contract claim is insufficiently alleged
- Termination rights belong to statutory beneficiaries regardless of prior agreements
- Sonny couldn't have signed away his heirs' future termination rights
The legal basis for Mary Bono's argument rests on Congress's limitation of an author's ability to sign away termination rights. While Sonny could grant Cher current rights and royalty interests, he couldn't prevent future termination rights of his heirs.
Cher performing with microphone in black
Important note: Mary Bono cannot unilaterally terminate the agreement, as she needs cooperation from Sonny's son Chaz to exercise termination rights.
Cher performing on stage
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