A civil lawsuit accusing Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter of rape will go to a jury trial in 2027, and his lawyer says there is no chance the case will be settled before then.
The decision came this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, marking a major step in a legal battle that has lasted for years.
Judge Lisa K. Sepe-Wiesenfeld set a firm trial date for May 10, 2027. She said the date will not change unless there is a strong legal reason.
According to Yahoo, during the hearing, Carter's attorney, Dale Hayes Jr., argued that mediation would not help because both sides strongly disagree about what happened.
"The parties are so diametrically opposed in this case, I just don't think it would be fruitful at all," Hayes told the court.
"There's just no wiggle room there." The judge still ordered both sides to attempt mediation by January 2027.
The lawsuit was filed by Melissa Schuman, a former member of the pop group DREAM.
She first sued Carter in April 2023. Schuman claims Carter raped her in 2003 at his Santa Monica apartment while they were working together on the made-for-TV movie "The Hollow."
The lawsuit alleging Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter raped singer and actress Melissa Schuman more than 20 years ago received a trial date as Carter’s lawyer said any attempt at mediation would be pointless. https://t.co/AHPVUMXetB
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) January 21, 2026
Nick Carter Denies Allegations, Files $2.5M Countersuit
According to the lawsuit, Schuman was 18 at the time, and Carter was about 23.
Schuman alleges Carter gave her a drink mixed with a sedative and ignored her repeated requests to stop.
Her lawsuit says she told him she did not want to have sex and was saving herself for marriage. "[She] could not get away from him, he was too heavy," the complaint states, adding that she later dissociated during the alleged assault, RollingStone reported.
Carter, now 45, denies all accusations. In July 2024, he filed a $2.5 million countersuit against Schuman, claiming defamation and accusing her of making up the story to extort money.
Carter says the encounter was consensual and that the two later agreed to perform a musical duet together.
A judge previously rejected Carter's attempt to dismiss Schuman's case or move it to Las Vegas, ruling that it was properly filed in Los Angeles, where police investigated the claim.
The case against Schuman is separate from other lawsuits Carter is facing. Three additional women have accused him of sexual assault in incidents dating back to the early 2000s.
Those claims have been combined into one trial scheduled to begin in October 2026. Carter denies those allegations as well and has not been charged with any crimes.
One of the other accusers, Laura Penly, offered to settle her case for $1 million last year. Carter rejected the offer. "Nick is not paying any of these extortionists," Hayes said in a statement.
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