A Torrance law firm has once again emerged the victor in a protracted court battle with pop star Michael Jackson over unpaid legal fees.

The 2 nd District Court of Appeal issued an opinion Monday favoring Ayscough & Marar, which represented Jackson on various civil matters around the time he was on trial for child molestation in 2005.

However, Jackson beat it before paying the $217,000 bill.

Ayscough & Marar sued Jackson and two of his companies in Torrance Superior Court. Just as the case was to go to trial before a downtown Los Angeles judge in June 2007, Jackson agreed to pay what he owed, plus interest.

Then, Jackson appealed, claiming Judge James Chalfant wrongly denied his quest to postpone the trial.

"It made no sense," Brent Ayscough said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "How do you appeal something you agreed to pay?"

Continue reading: Court tells pop star to pay up

See the 2nd District Court of Appeal opinion here