The court ruled in favor of Mick Mars in the ugly legal showdown between the retired lead guitarist and his band, Motley Crue.
The court battle started after Mars announced his retirement and his band allegedly cut him off. The group reportedly forced him to sign a severance agreement in exchange for a compensation package so he could never take part in the band's current and future businesses.
Mick Mars Wins a Part of the Legal Battle
A report by Rolling Stone quoted Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant's ruling that Motley Crue refused to turn over documents to Mars in a timely manner despite the guitarist's constant requests.
"The requests were not burdensome. Yet, Mars was compelled to file suit, and it appears plain that production would not have occurred without it. Mars is entitled to attorney fees," Judge Chalfant said.
Motley Crue reportedly claimed it gave Mars the responsive documents he requested in November 2023 and 1,372 pages of files the next month.
However, the band reportedly failed to produce the documents before December 8 - which meant refusal.
On the other hand, both parties claimed victory after the ruling.
Mars' representative, Ed McPherson, told the news outlet that someone, somewhere stated "the guys" they cannot bully the musician anymore.
"We're in the middle of a huge arbitration that will ultimately decide if Mick has to give up his shares or not, if they did things properly or not," McPherson said. "Obviously we claim they didn't do anything properly. But they feel that they're above the rules. And that's what this lawsuit was about."
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On the other hand, Motley Crue's representatives rejoiced as Judge Chalfant dismissed Mars' further filings, claiming "the case is over."
"The band went above and beyond its obligations by providing much more documents than the statute required - indeed, the court's decision explained the thousands of documents that the band provided to Mars," they went on.
Mars announced he would no longer tour after he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, which had been causing him pain. According to Versus Arthritis, the condition affects a person's back by causing inflammation in the spine. As a result, the body releases extra calcium around the bones, leading the back and neck to feel stiffer.
In Motley Crue's 2001 biography, "The Dirt," he disclosed he has been struggling with the disease since his late teens. His hips reportedly began to hurt whenever he tried to turn his body.
