Jay-Z's Defamation and Extortion Case Against Tony Buzbee Moves Forward in Court

A Los Angeles County judge has ruled that Jay-Z's defamation lawsuit against Texas attorney Tony Buzbee has enough merit to proceed to trial.

The decision, made on Tuesday, February 25, comes shortly after Buzbee and his unnamed client dropped a highly publicized sexual assault lawsuit against the rapper.

The original lawsuit, filed by a woman identified as "Jane Doe," accused Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting her at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000, when she was allegedly 13 years old.

According to RollingOut, the case was dismissed "with prejudice," barring it from being refiled. Following this, Jay-Z launched a counter-lawsuit against Buzbee, condemning him as an irresponsible lawyer who failed to verify the claims before making them public.

Jay-Z stated that the lawsuit caused "incalculable" harm to his family and resulted in approximately $20 million in lost business opportunities. Determined to hold Buzbee accountable, he filed a defamation and extortion suit against the attorney in February 2025.

The court has scheduled a hearing for March 26 to determine the validity of the extortion claims, though Yahoo! News suggests that a portion of the case may not stand.

Judge Mark H. Epstein ruled that the defamation claims against Buzbee warrant a trial. The decision was based on several actions taken by the attorney, including a social media post where he referred to the accuser as a "sexual assault survivor" despite a lack of supporting evidence.

The judge also pointed out that Buzbee "liked" a post implying Jay-Z's involvement in the case before his name had been publicly revealed, calling the act reckless and malicious.

"The conduct alleged raises serious questions about whether Buzbee acted with actual malice, a key component in defamation cases involving public figures," the judge noted, as reported by Yahoo! News.

Tony Buzbee Remains Defiant Amid Legal Battles with Jay-Z and Combs

Despite the legal setbacks, Buzbee remains defiant. He has been known for filing multiple lawsuits against Combs, including a class-action suit involving 120 plaintiffs alleging sexual misconduct.

There were also reports that he had been temporarily barred from practicing law in New York for procedural missteps in filing the case against Jay-Z. However, Buzbee denied this claim, stating, "I'm licensed to practice law in New York. I'm in good standing with the state bar and have always been."

In response to Jay-Z calling the lawsuit a "blackmail attempt," Buzbee stated on social media that his client "never demanded a penny" and only sought a confidential mediation, PageSix said.

He further accused Jay-Z of attempting to "bully and harass" both him and the plaintiff, insisting that the lawsuit against him was "frivolous."

Meanwhile, court documents obtained by TMZ suggest that Jay-Z, under the pseudonym "John Doe," alleged that Buzbee attempted to extort him by threatening to release false sexual assault claims if he did not comply with certain demands.

The documents also link Buzbee's allegations to similar accusations made against Combs.

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