Kesha Gets Some Bad News In Her Legal Battle Against Dr. Luke
Kesha and Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, have had a very litigious relationship over the years, with the twosome going back and forth with some very serious allegations.
Back in October 2014, Kesha sued Dr. Luke and alleged that he had sexually, physically, and verbally abused her, alleging the abuse started when she was 18 and started to work with him, per Page Six. Later that same month, TMZ reported that Dr. Luke sued Kesha back and accused her of extortion and lying about him. Kesha asked to have her recording contract under Sony ended to prevent her from having to work with a company associated with Dr. Luke, but that case was dismissed in April 2016.
In February 2020 though, a judge ruled that Kesha had defamed the producer over claims about Katy Perry, as she alleged that Dr. Luke had raped Perry, something Perry denied. "Perry unequivocally testified that Gottwald did not [rape her]. In response, Kesha has not raised a triable issue," the judge said, per The Guardian. "There is no evidence whatsoever that Gottwald raped Katy Perry, or that Katy Perry, whose sworn testimony is unrefuted, must not be believed."
And now there's been another turn in the case that means bad news for the "Tik Tok" singer.
Kesha won't reclaim her legal fees
In July 2021, Kesha filed to have her legal fees recouped in her defamation case against Dr. Luke, per Daily Mail. A filing from Kesha's legal team claimed the star was "entitled to compensatory and punitive damages and her attorneys' fees and costs incurred," while alleging that "Dr. Luke's scorched-earth litigation strategy is designed to humiliate and destroy Kesha." That same month, Page Six reported that Dr Luke had appealed the legal fee ruling.
Unfortunately for Kesha, March 10 brought the news that the law the pop star was relying on for her case "did not specify that the new legislation was to be applied retroactively," according to an appeals court (via Page Six).
But that's still not the end of the matter. Kesha's lawyer revealed that her team wanted to appeal the ruling, saying in a statement that the "opinion is manifestly erroneous and contrary to the conclusion reached by approximately 20 other courts."
Kesha has been outspoken about the effect the long-running court drama has had on her, admitting, "When you work really hard at something, then to have it taken away from you is pretty devastating." She continued to Viceland's "Noisey" in 2017 (via The Hollywood Reporter), "I worked my ass off for a lot of years to be able to do it... Once you earn that and make that happen, then to have it taken away from you is pretty devastating. It is definitely a mind f***."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).