Two months after being officially served, filmmaker Tyler Perry has responded to the $260 million civil lawsuit filed by former Tyler Perry’s The Oval cast member Derrick Dixon. Perry’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the case, denying all of Dixon’s claims and accusing the former actor of pursuing the relationship for financial gain.
The lawsuit was originally filed by Dixon, who alleges Perry made unwanted sexual advances. However, according to legal analyst reports, Perry’s motion to dismiss hinges on a technical claim regarding jurisdiction.
The motion asserts that California is the wrong jurisdiction for the case, arguing that all of Perry’s business with Dixon was conducted in Georgia, where Tyler Perry Studios is located. The filing effectively accuses Dixon of “forum shopping,” or choosing a court jurisdiction that would be most favorable to his lawsuit, rather than the state where the alleged events took place.
In addition to the jurisdictional challenge, Perry’s response denied the allegations of unwanted advances. He instead claimed that Dixon was “cultivating a relationship for financial gain,” suggesting the lawsuit is without merit and should be thrown out.