Mary Bono, widow of Sonny Bono, has filed a motion to dismiss Cher's $1 million lawsuit regarding copyright-termination notices. The dispute centers on royalty rights established during Cher and Sonny's 1975 divorce settlement.

The key points of the legal dispute:

• In 1978, Sonny granted Cher 50% of their musical composition royalties, record royalties, and other assets through a binding agreement
• In September 2021, the Bono Collection Trust issued a Section 304(c) termination notice affecting these copyrights
• Mary Bono argues the termination rights belong to statutory beneficiaries and cannot be overridden by previous agreements
• The motion claims Sonny could grant current rights but not sign away future termination rights belonging to his heirs

Mary Bono's motion presents two main arguments:

1. Cher's declaratory judgment claim is preempted by federal Copyright Act
2. The breach of contract claim lacks sufficient evidence

The case highlights a complex intersection between divorce agreements and copyright law, particularly regarding termination rights Congress established to protect authors and their heirs.

Important note: Legal experts point out that Mary Bono cannot unilaterally terminate rights, as she needs cooperation from Sonny's son Chaz to execute any termination, since she doesn't own more than 50% of the termination interest.

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