October 14, 2025
The choose authorized the sanctions towards the plaintiff’s lead counsel.
A federal choose who presided over the dropped lawsuit case on Nelly’s Nation Grammar album says the rapper is entitled to some compensation.
On Oct. 10, U.S. Justice of the Peace Decide Robert W. Lehrburger argued that Nelly needs to be reimbursed for his authorized charges. The lawsuit was filed by Ali Jones, his former bandmate in St. Lunatics, claiming again pay for the album. The choose referred to as the lawsuit “baseless” and “frivolous,” and stated that Nelly needs to be compensated even past defeating the case.
“It ought to have been patently apparent to [Ali]’s attorneys that his copyright possession declare was time-barred. After being positioned on discover that the [case] stood no probability of success, [Ali] didn’t withdraw his criticism. As a substitute, his attorneys doubled down,” the Justice of the Peace wrote, as reported by Billboard.
Ali had alleged that Nelly owed him a reduce of the royalties from the group’s debut solo album. Nevertheless, Nelly’s attorneys argued that the September 2024 submitting occurred years outdoors the statute of limitations.
Lehrburger additionally urged the attorneys to be punished for pursuing the case even with the warning of its failure. Ali asserted that Nelly “manipulated” the bandmates into believing they might obtain fee and credit score for his or her work on the album.
Nelly, whose actual identify is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., was a member of the ’90s hip-hop group from St. Louis. Nevertheless, he left the band following the success of the 2000 LP, which launched hits reminiscent of “Sizzling in Herre” and “Dilemma.”
Whereas Ali tried to get again what he believed was rightfully owed, he had waited too lengthy to hunt justice. Though three different St. Lunatics bandmates had been listed on the go well with, they swiftly dropped out. The musicians claimed that they didn’t intend to pursue authorized motion towards Nelly. Ali dropped out of the lawsuit in April with out additional clarification.
Regardless of the dropped lawsuit, Nelly’s protection staff requested sanctions, or authorized penalties, for the money and time their shopper spent. Though uncommon to approve, Decide Lehrburger additionally agreed with this request, noting how “groundless” the claims had been. The choose additionally famous that Ali’s lead counsel, Treasured Felder Gates, filed an up to date pleading that “manipulated the pleadings” and let the case drag on unnecessarily.
Nevertheless, how a lot Felder Gates can pay stays unknown, because the choose didn’t specify a precise quantity. Nevertheless, the choose famous that the sum should cowl Nelly’s authorized payments for the reason that refiling.
The rapper’s lawyer, Ken Fruendlich, additionally launched an announcement upon Lehrburger’s ruling.
“This case sends a message to attorneys that there can be penalties for dragging a Defendant into an motion that’s frivolous on its face and refusing to withdraw it. There’s a lane in fact for zealous advocacy, however when the case is time-barred in line with a plaintiff’s personal pleading, it has no place within the system.”
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