Michael Jackson once gave sculptor Brett Livingstone Strong the exclusive rights to some of his artwork, but a California court has now ruled that those rights can be forcibly sold to cover Strong’s unpaid alimony and child support. The Court of Appeal affirmed that a family law judge acted within his authority in ordering the copyright to be assigned to a receiver so it can be monetized.
Justice Frances Rothschild wrote the opinion, confirming a February 2025 order requiring Strong to hand over the copyright so it can be sold. Strong, now 72 and no longer producing art, owes about $2 million in unpaid support to his estranged wife, Monique Strong. With no other assets available, the court concluded that selling the rights to Jackson’s paintings was appropriate.
The copyright was originally gifted to Strong by Michael Jackson during the Jackson-Strong Alliance partnership formed in 1989. Jackson’s artwork continues to circulate widely, with prints selling even after his death in 2009. Strong argued that there was no legal precedent allowing a court to force the assignment of a copyright to settle debts.
However, the appellate court rejected this claim. It cited California law stating that all property may be used to satisfy debts unless specifically exempt, and noted that earlier cases from the 19th century allowed the forced sale of other forms of intellectual property, such as patents. The court found no meaningful reason to treat copyrights differently from patents.
Lawyers for Strong’s estranged wife argued that the appeal was filed merely to delay payment. The case moved quickly through the appellate process, with a decision issued just eight days after submission. The ruling, In re Marriage of Strong, confirms that intellectual property—copyrights included—can be sold to satisfy support obligations.
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