Jay-Z‘s legal battle enters a new phase after a federal judge refused to throw out his lawsuit against Attorney Tony Buzbee. Instead, the judge ordered the case transferred to a different state.
According to a ruling issued Tuesday (March 31), U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer denied Buzbee’s motion to dismiss the case on jurisdictional grounds. However, the judge also ordered the matter moved from Alabama to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where future decisions will now be made.
The case stems from Jay-Z’s lawsuit against Buzbee, a Jane Doe accuser and attorney David Fortney following the dismissal of a sexual assault lawsuit filed against the Roc Nation founder. Jay-Z has maintained the allegations were false and part of an attempt to extract money from him.
Buzbee had previously argued the case did not belong in Alabama, despite Jay-Z initially filing there because the Jane Doe lives in the state. He contended the case should instead be handled in New York, where the alleged incident was said to have occurred.
Judge Moorer ultimately agreed the case should be heard elsewhere, did not dismiss it altogether.
“In the interest of justice, by separate order, the case will be transferred to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York,” court documents state, according to a report from Complex. “The motions to dismiss filed by all defendants… and the motions to proceed using a pseudonym remain pending for resolution by the gaining court.”
The venue change could prove significant for several issues. The woman who accused Jay-Z may not be able to continue using anonymity. She remains listed as a defendant in the rapper’s lawsuit.
The legal fight traces back to a now-withdrawn lawsuit in which the Jane Doe accused Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her at an after-party connected to the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. She alleged she was 13 at the time. Her legal team later dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. No public explanation was given.
Following that dismissal, Jay-Z filed suit claiming the woman admitted to fabricating the allegations in hopes of receiving a financial settlement. Buzbee has rejected that characterization He insists his client stands by her claims and argues Jay-Z’s lawsuit lacks legal standing.
Jay-Z’s attorneys have also accused Buzbee of encouraging the lawsuit despite an alleged false narrative. Meanwhile, Jay-Z previously filed a separate lawsuit in Los Angeles in 2024 accusing Buzbee of defamation and extortion. That case was dismissed, but Jay-Z has appealed the decision.
As the case now heads to New York, a new judge will determine the fate of the pending dismissal.