A federal judge has granted Jay-Z's legal team permission to file a motion to dismiss a sexual assault lawsuit alleging that the rapper, along with Sean "Diddy" Combs, raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, filed the lawsuit in October 2024, initially naming Combs and later amending it in December to include Jay-Z.
Jay-Z's attorney, Alex Spiro, had previously sought to have the case dismissed and to compel the accuser to reveal her identity. However, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres denied these motions, allowing the plaintiff to remain anonymous due to her mental health vulnerabilities.
In the latest development, Judge Torres has permitted Jay-Z's legal team to file a formal motion to dismiss the case. The defense plans to argue that the lawsuit is time-barred, noting that the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, under which the plaintiff is suing, was enacted three months after the alleged incident. Additionally, they contend that the described location of the assault does not correspond to any property within New York City, potentially challenging the jurisdiction of the case.
The timeline for the dismissal motion is as follows: Jay-Z's legal team has until February 6 to file the motion; the plaintiff's opposition is due by February 28; and any reply from Jay-Z's team must be submitted by March 14.
Both Jay-Z and Combs have denied the allegations. Jay-Z has described the lawsuit as an attempted blackmail, while Combs's legal team has labeled the claims as false.
The case continues to unfold, with the court set to review the forthcoming motion to dismiss and determine the next steps in the legal proceedings.