Jackson ordered to pay legal fees

Michael Jackson has been ordered to pay more than $256,000 (€186,000) in legal fees to a firm that handled some side issues during the pop star’s child molestation trial.

A judge signed a judgement on Friday that awarded $216,837 (€157,000) along with $39,177 (€28,000) in interest to the firm of Ayscough & Marar, according to court records.

Jackson’s attorney, Marshall Brubacher, agreed in principle to the judgement on June 26, when he told the judge that going to trial would be costlier and “we want to stop the haemorrhaging”.

The law firm sued Jackson for failing to pay legal fees for the work the firm did to prevent the release of some information to the public and to lawyers in civil cases during Jackson’s 2005 criminal trial.

The pop star was acquitted of child molestation charges.

Jackson countersued the law firm, but that case was dismissed.