Judge Throws Out T.I. and Tiny Defamation Lawsuit Amid Contempt Claims

A Los Angeles judge has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by rapper T.I. and his wife, Tiny, against Sabrina Peterson, citing her failure to move the case forward.

The ruling came during a court hearing on Monday, where Peterson also faced a contempt hearing for not paying the couple's legal fees.

During the hearing, Los Angeles County Judge Michael Shultz ruled that Peterson had not taken the necessary steps to advance her case, leading to its dismissal. "The case was filed on March 1, 2021. It has now been four years and 23 days. The court finds that the plaintiff has failed to prosecute the case. The case is dismissed," Judge Shultz stated.

According to RollingStone, Brettler also confirmed that T.I. and Tiny, legally known as Clifford and Tameka Cottle-Harris, still have the option to seek a judgment to recover the $96,000 in legal fees that Peterson was ordered to pay.

In 2021, Instagram influencer and business coach Peterson initiated legal action, claiming that the couple had defamed her and caused damage to her reputation.

However, when she failed to comply with court orders to pay the couple's legal fees, she was summoned to explain herself.

During her testimony, Peterson stated that she was unable to pay the $96,000, explaining that the amount represented half of her annual income.

She proposed a payment plan of $1,000 per month, but the judge remained unconvinced.

Judge Shultz reprimanded Peterson for not following previous court orders. "It's been 17 months and you haven't paid a dime," he said, referencing multiple deadlines she failed to meet. Despite this, he decided against holding her in contempt, focusing instead on closing the case due to lack of progress.

T.I. and Tiny's Lawyer Slams Peterson for Ignoring Court Orders

Andrew Brettler, the attorney representing T.I. and Tiny, contended that Peterson had not only disregarded court orders but had also demonstrated a lack of respect for the legal process.

"She has shown nothing but disrespect. ... She brags about how much money she has online and that she's never paying this sum to the Harrises. And she has absolutely no respect for the court's time or its orders," Brettler stated.

He pointed out that Peterson had made no genuine attempt to advance her lawsuit aside from filing it and changing lawyers.

While this case has now been dismissed, T.I. is still pursuing legal action against Peterson. In December, he filed a separate defamation lawsuit against her in federal court, accusing her of falsely claiming he was under federal investigation for human trafficking.

Peterson was served legal papers related to this lawsuit just minutes before Monday's hearing.

After the ruling, Peterson expressed her exhaustion over the lengthy legal battle. "I'm relieved it's finally over," she told the source. "It's fine. I'm tired. This has gone on for four or five years. I'm really tired."

Despite this setback, T.I. and Tiny recently secured a major legal win in a separate case. The couple and Tiny's all-girl pop group, OMG Girlz, were awarded $71.5 million in damages in their lawsuit against toymaker MGA Entertainment, EurWeb said.

The court ruled that MGA had misappropriated the group's likeness for their O.M.G. Dolls collection. This victory marked the end of a lengthy legal battle over claims of cultural appropriation and intellectual property theft.

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T.I., Tiny, Lawsuit