Jay-Z has ended a decade-long legal battle by opting not to seek attorney fees against a man who claimed to be his son, after a federal judge dismissed a paternity case. The decision brought a close to the long-running feud that had spread across courts in California and New Jersey.
According to AllHipHop, newly filed court records showed the rapper allowed a court-ordered deadline to lapse without requesting reimbursement for legal costs, even after winning outright dismissal. Earlier in the week, the judge confirmed that the window for such a filing had expired.
The ruling came shortly after U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett threw out the lawsuit on November 4 with prejudice, meaning the claims cannot be raised again legally at the federal level.
The action was filed by paralegal Lillie Coley, guardian and godmother of New Jersey resident Rymir Satterthwaite, whose long-standing allegations have fueled years of litigation.Coley maintained in her complaint, "Jay-Z had avoided paternity testing for years and manipulated the legal system to dodge accountability."
Her filings reflected Satterthwaite's claim that his late mother, Wanda, had a relationship with Jay-Z in the early 1990s. Their argument stated, "Wanda was underage at the time, which they said made the situation more serious."
Before he reached California, the matter had already moved through New Jersey courts, which had ruled the state lacked jurisdiction to compel the musician to participate in testing. Subsequent filings accused New Jersey officials of shielding a high-profile defendant, a claim documented in allhiphop's exclusive reporting.
Satterthwaite briefly pursued his own federal case this year before he withdrew it with prejudice in July. Coley continued her separate California case until its dismissal.
By the middle of 2025, judicial patience seemed to wear off. An order dated July 31 gave Jay-Z 30 days to seek attorney fees or risk the matter being closed permanently. Court filings later confirmed he did not file the motion.
Jay-Z's lawyers said all along that the claims were part of a "decades long" pattern of harassment, and many courts had already refused the claims. However, the Grammy winner decided not to seek any financial damages that would have placed an undue burden on Satterthwaite.
According to allhiphop, Satterthwaite has continued to publicly criticize both Jay-Z and the legal system, suggesting that he has no intention of letting the dispute fade quietly.
In other news, HotNewHipHop reported that Jay-Z's old 2021 claim that he is "untouchable" in a Verzuz battle resurfaced online, sparking new debate. In the clip, he insisted no artist could survive a two-hour matchup against his catalog, citing his stamina and iconic performances.
As fans revisited the comments, many agreed he would have the advantage, while others suggested potential challengers like Drake. The discussion revived interest in whether the rap legend will ever join a Verzuz event.
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