 " The Girl Is Mine " has been the subject of two plagiarism lawsuits . Both instances required Jackson to testify in court , and each lawsuit found in the favour of the singer and his record label . The first legal trial occurred in 1984 , with Fred Sanford claiming that Jackson had cut a tape of his song , " Please Love Me Now " . Jackson , however , insisted that he composed " The Girl Is Mine " . The $ 5 million copyright suit was closed after the jury of five men and a woman reached a verdict in the favour of Jackson . Their verdict was reached after a three @-@ day deliberation . Jackson was not a defendant in the trial but testified to maintain his credibility . James Klenk , Jackson 's attorney , praised the singer upon the jury 's verdict . " The man is a genius . He doesn 't need anyone else 's songs . His own words were the key . " During the court proceedings , Jackson revealed how he composes his songs . " I put them in a tape recorder and I orally sing them into the tape , and that 's how it happens . " One juror stated , " His presentation indicated that he was well able to develop his own songs . " 
