Judge wants Nelly’s legal fees repaid over “groundless” lawsuit
Nelly was sued last year for allegedly cutting St Lunatics out of royalties and credits from his Country Grammar album. However, a judge has since dismissed the lawsuit and wants legal bills repaid.
In a ruling on October 10th, US Judge Robert W Lehrburger ruled that the rapper’s former bandmate, Ali Jones, should receive a penalty for his suit.
“It should have been patently obvious to Jones’s attorneys that his copyright ownership claim was time-barred,” the judge wrote, according to Complex. “After being placed on notice that the ownership claim stood no chance of success, Jones did not withdraw his complaint. Instead, his attorneys doubled down and proceeded.”
He added, “Jones’ copyright ownership claim was groundless on its face from the time it was first asserted.”
Nelly’s legal team described the case as “vexatious” and “ridiculous,” with his lawyer, Ken Freundlich, wanting sanctions.
“Plaintiff’s counsel succeeded in its frivolous campaign aimed at forcing [Nelly] to spend money defending Plaintiff’s ridiculous time-barred claim,” he wrote. “The Court is respectfully requested to retain jurisdiction and set a briefing and hearing schedule for [potential sanctions].”
Jones claimed Nelly “manipulated” St Lunatics into believing they would be paid, but three of the four plaintiffs, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and City Spud, distanced themselves from the case.
Nelly released Country Grammar in June 2000, which included hits such as ‘Ride Wit Me’, ‘E.I.’, and ‘Country Grammar (Hot Shit)’. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and stayed in the top spot for five weeks in a row.
St Lunatics were credited on the songs ‘Steal the Show’ and ‘Wrap Sumden’, while Lee and Jones have additional credits on ‘Batter Up’ and ‘Thicky Thick Girl’.