Nelly has won a significant legal victory after a Missouri federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Ali Jones, a fellow member of the St. Lunatics.

Ali had claimed that he was denied credit and compensation for contributions to songs on Nelly’s 2000 debut album, “Country Grammar,” alleging copyright infringement and unjust enrichment.

The court determined that Ali’s claims were legally invalid or filed outside the allowed timeframe. U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig noted that Ali had received a letter from Nelly’s legal team in June 2021 denying his authorship and payment requests.

According to the judge, that letter began the three-year period for filing a copyright claim, which Ali exceeded.

Ali’s attorneys attempted to address the timing problem by altering the complaint and removing key dates, a tactic the court viewed as bad faith.

“The Court finds that Plaintiffs’ counsel acted unreasonably and vexatiously in continuing to pursue claims that were clearly time-barred and preempted,” the order stated.

The judge also rejected Ali’s unjust enrichment argument, explaining that it was essentially a repackaged copyright claim. Federal law does not allow claims that duplicate copyright issues, and the court found Ali’s argument did not meet legal standards.

Because the lawsuit lacked merit, the court imposed a $1,000 fine on Ali’s attorneys and required them to reimburse Nelly for legal fees incurred after the initial complaint. Ali himself was not personally penalized, but the ruling criticized both him and his legal team for proceeding without valid grounds.

Judge Fleissig emphasized that Nelly’s 2021 legal response was clear and decisive, leaving no ambiguity regarding Ali’s lack of rights to the songs in question. The decision closes the door on Ali’s attempt to claim authorship more than twenty years after the release of “Country Grammar.”

Story: https://balleralert.com/profiles/blogs/nelly-country-grammar-lawsuit-dismissed/