A federal judge has dismissed a child sex trafficking lawsuit brought against Michael Jackson’s estate by four members of the Cascio family, ruling that it must be handled through private arbitration rather than a public court. The decision matters because it prevents the allegations from proceeding to a jury trial, while leaving the underlying claims unresolved.

Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo Cascio alleged abuse by Jackson over more than a decade, accusations the estate strongly denies. Judge Hernán D. Vera cited a 2019 settlement, reportedly worth $3.5 million without an admission of wrongdoing, requiring disputes to be arbitrated; the siblings argue they were coerced into signing it and plan to pursue the case privately.