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| Lizzo appears in an Instagram video posted Tuesday after a federal judge dismissed the remaining claims against her touring company in a lawsuit brought by former wardrobe worker Asha Daniels. Lizzo, who had been dismissed as an individual defendant in 2024, said she was “relieved” by the ruling. (Lizzo/Instagram) |
A federal judge has thrown out the remaining claims brought by former tour wardrobe worker Asha Daniels against Lizzo's touring company and other defendants, ending the case at the trial-court level nearly three years after Daniels sued.
U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha granted summary judgment Tuesday to Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. and the remaining defendants.
Lizzo, whose legal name is Melissa Jefferson, had already been dismissed as an individual defendant in the case in December 2024.
Daniels worked in wardrobe during the European leg of Lizzo's “Special” tour in 2023. She later sued alleging sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination and other mistreatment.
The judge concluded that the evidence Daniels presented did not establish several of her claims under the legal standards required to send them to trial.
Among other findings, the court concluded that Daniels had not shown conduct demonstrating generalized hostility toward women or that men and women were treated differently in a way that supported her Title VII claims.
The court also rejected her racial-discrimination and disability claims.
Lizzo celebrated the ruling Tuesday on social media.
She said she was relieved by the outcome and maintained that the allegations against her and her company were unfounded.
Daniels' attorney disputed that interpretation of the case, arguing that the court improperly evaluated evidence that should have been considered by a jury and indicating that Daniels is considering her next steps.
The ruling is significant, but it does not end all of the litigation surrounding Lizzo's workplace.
Daniels' case is separate from the lawsuit filed in 2023 by former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez.
That lawsuit generated widespread attention with allegations involving sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. Lizzo has denied the allegations.
Some claims in the dancers' case have been dismissed, but the litigation has not been completely resolved.
That distinction is particularly important because the two cases were filed within weeks of each other and have frequently been conflated in coverage of the allegations surrounding Lizzo.
Tuesday's decision concerns Daniels and her work with the wardrobe department.
For that case, at least at the federal trial-court level, there will be no jury trial on the remaining claims.
Nearly three years after Daniels sued, the remaining defendants have won summary judgment.
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