Jay-Z’s latest moves in his legal case against an anonymous woman drew a “scathing ruling” after he demanded a judge order the victim be publicly identified.
Jay-Z’s lawyers filed multiple court documents after the rapper was added to a lawsuit accusing him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping a 13-year-old girl at a 2000 VMAs after-party. However, the “bare-knuckle litigation” strategy used was met with a “bench slap” by New York Judge Analisa Torres, according to experts.
“Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel, went too far in filing motion after motion and attacking the alleged victim and [her attorney] Tony Buzbee, though,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained to Fox News Digital. “We call a scathing ruling like that a ‘bench slap.’
“When a judge publicly chastises a lawyer like that, it is embarrassing professionally and sends a message that bare-knuckle litigation tactics won’t be tolerated simply because you’re at a white-shoe firm and representing a rich and powerful celebrity. Spiro is going to have to recalibrate his approach and take a more nuanced, professional tone in his court filings.”
A New York judge criticized Jay-Z’s legal team’s filing tactics in a ruling allowing his sexual assault accuser to remain anonymous. (Theo Wargo/WireImage)
Torres ruled Jane Doe could remain anonymous for now but reserved the right to revisit the decision at a future date in court documents filed Thursday. The judge took the time to call out Spiro’s previous motions.
“(Jay-Z’s) lawyer’s relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks is inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client,” she wrote. “The Court will not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it.”
Courts typically “disfavor” repeated filings and “outright demands,” according to Orange County criminal defense lawyer Lauren Johnson-Norris.
“Court pleadings are no place for inflammatory language, and courts disfavor repeated filings and outright demands,” Johnson-Norris told Fox News Digital. “Spiro is likely responding this way at the behest of his client, but that is why lawyers need to operate the way they are trained and with professionalism.
“It can be difficult to manage a celebrity client and their demands, but, as the judge noted, this is not in the client’s interest. It may do more harm than good. Whether Spiro changes his approach may depend on what boundaries he is willing to set with his client, but I expect he will tone it down.”
