Legal Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Since the first Community Legal Centre was set up in Australia in the early 1970s, CLCs have been committed to pushing for positive systemic social change and providing free legal services to the communities who need it most. The LGBTIQ community have and continue to face significant social disadvantage, with debates surrounding Safe School, anti-discrimination and religious freedoms, taking an ongoing toll on the mental health and wellbeing of our communities.

Flavor Flav has issued a cease and desist over Public Enemy performing at a Bernie Sanders rally. The statement addressed, in part, “the unauthorized use of [Flavor Flav’s] likeness, image and trademarked clock in promotional materials circulated by the [Sanders] campaign.”

In 2016, Brooklyn band Satorii filed a lawsuit asserting that Woody Guthrie’s iconic folk song “This Land Is Your Land” belongs in the public domain. Now, according to a report by The New York Times’ Ben Sisario, a federal judge has rejected the attempt to release the song from its copyright holders and free it into the public domain. Read the Times’ full report here.

Justin Raisen, Jeremiah Raisen, and Justin “Yves” Rothman are countersuing Lizzo over plagiarism claims surrounding the hit song “Truth Hurts,” as The New York Times reports and Pitchfork can confirm via court documents.

Yeasayer have sued Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd over the Black Panther soundtrack single “Pray For Me,” TMZ reports and documents viewed by Pitchfork confirm. The band claims in the lawsuit that “Pray For Me” infringes on their All Hour Cymbals song “Sunrise.”

Former Empire actor Jussie Smollett has pled not guilty to six charges of disorderly conduct, the Chicago Tribune reports. His bond, which he reportedly will not have to pay, was set at $20,000, according to the Tribune’s Megan Crepeau.

Note: This article discusses sexual assault allegations.

There is a new indictment in the federal case against R. Kelly, who is facing charges related to child pornography and obstruction of justice. The superseding indictment was filed yesterday (February 13) in an Illinois federal court. It replaces the original indictment from July 2019.

In June 2019, The New York Times published an extensive report revealing that a 2008 fire at Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed an enormous number of master tapes by artists throughout the decades. In new court documents obtained by Pitchfork, UMG has confirmed that the master recordings of Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Elton John, Beck, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow, R.E.M., and several other artists were damaged or destroyed in the blaze.

Yellowcard’s lawsuit against Juice WRLD, which alleged that the rapper’s song “Lucid Dreams” infringed on their 2006 song “Holly Wood Died,” has been stayed by United States District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall.

Jussie Smollett has been indicted by a Cook County grand jury on six charges of disorderly conduct over the January 2019 police report where he claimed that he was the victim of a hate crime, NBC News reports. Special Prosecutor Dan Webb’s office announced the six-count indictment in a statement today.

Note: This article discusses sexual assault allegations.

In October 2019, Lil Nas X, along with collaborators including Cardi B, faced a copyright infringement lawsuit over his 2019 song “Rodeo.” The lawsuit, filed by producers Don Lee and Glen Keith, claimed that his song shared similarities with their 2017 work “gwenXdonlee4-142,” which was later incorporated into the song “Broad Day” by PuertoReefa and Sakrite Duexe.

Today, New York State Supreme Court Judge Jennifer G. Schecter made a significant ruling in the long-running legal battle between Kesha and producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald. According to court documents viewed by Pitchfork, the judge ruled that Kesha “made a false statement to Lady Gaga about Gottwald and that was defamatory.”

In December 2019, Vicky Cornell sued the bandmates of her late husband Chris Cornell, claiming that they were withholding royalties from her and her family. Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd have now responded to the lawsuit, as Rolling Stone notes and court records viewed by Pitchfork confirm.

HBO Max has acquired U.S. rights to Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering’s documentary On the Record. The film presents the stories of several women who have accused producer Russell Simmons of sexual assault, including music executive Drew Dixon.

In April 2019, Louisiana rapper Boosie Badazz was arrested on drug and weapon possession charges in Coweta County, Georgia. He was subsequently charged with possession of schedule I narcotics, possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and failure to maintain lane. Now, according to report by TMZ, the rapper has pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana—a plea deal that ensures he will serve no jail time.

Nicki Minaj’s brother Jelani Maraj has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for predatory sexual assault against a child, TMZ reports and a court spokesperson confirmed to Pitchfork. He was also sentenced to 364 days in prison for endangering the welfare of a child. Maraj was found guilty of the crimes after a trial in 2017.

In 2017, Meek Mill was sued by three different parties over a shooting that happened at a December 2016 concert at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut. One man, Dylan Thomas, was shot in the leg and sued the rapper as well as Live Nation and the concert venue for damages. That case was dropped last year.

YG has been arrested in Los Angeles in connection with an investigation of an alleged robbery, TMZ and CBSLA report. In a statement given to Pitchfork, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said they arrived at YG’s home early this morning (January 24) with a search warrant. The rapper was then taken into custody and is being held at Men’s Central Jail on $250,000 bail, according to CBSLA. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, January 28.

In November 2018, it was reported that RiFF RAFF was going to trial in a $12 million sexual assault lawsuit stemming from an alleged 2014 incident at a Nevada brothel. The lawsuit has now been settled for an undisclosed amount, according to RiFF RAFF’s representatives and the Washoe County Second Judicial District Court website. The court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice today, documents viewed by Pitchfork confirm.

In May 2018, after Neil Portnow said that women needed to “step up,” the longtime head of the Grammys found himself out of a job. Six months ago, Deborah Dugan—the former CEO of (RED)—was brought on to replace him. That tenure lasted until last week, when she was ousted and put on “administrative leave” under unclear circumstances involving an undisclosed allegation of misconduct.

Deborah Dugan, the recently-ousted Recording Academy president and CEO, has filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discrimination complaint against the organization behind the Grammys. It contains several bold claims outlining corruption and sexual harassment within the organization. Read it in full below.

In April 2018, Prince’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital that treated the singer for a fentanyl overdose less than a week before he died in 2016.

Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke has been arrested for allegedly transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines, The New York Times reports. According to TMZ, Pop Smoke borrowed a black 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith in November for a music video shoot in California. Pop Smoke reportedly brought the car to New York without permission and the owner declared it stolen, according to The Times. The car has since been returned to its owner, The Times reports.

On August 11, rapper Roddy Ricch (real name: Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr.) was arrested on felony domestic violence charges in Los Angeles following an altercation with his girlfriend. The charges were dropped after the case was declined due to insufficient evidence, XXL reports and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office spokesperson Ricardo Santiago confirms to Pitchfork.

The disintegration of Meghan Markle's relationship with her father in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry has been revealed in a series of texts contained in legal documents.

Kanye West and EMI have settled their lawsuit over the publishing contract the artist signed with the company in 2003. According to documents viewed by Pitchfork, West and EMI notified the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 13 that they had “reached an agreement in principle resolving all issues.” If neither party files motions to the contrary, the suit will be officially closed on February 14, 2020.

The live music events company Sofar Sounds will pay $460,357.50 to 654 unpaid volunteer workers (known internally as “ambassadors”) as part of a settlement with the New York State Department of Labor, as Variety reports. It was first reported back in August 2019 that New York state had opened an investigation into the labor practices at Sofar Sounds.

Speaker company Sonos has filed a lawsuit against Google in two federal court systems, as The New York Times reports. The Santa Barbara-based firm claims that Google knowingly infringed upon patented Sonos technology in the development of their own smart speaker systems, beginning with the launch of the Google Home series.