Tony Buzbee attempted to sidestep his lawsuit against JAY-Z, asking that it be dismissed. Instead, the court case will now shift from Alabama to the Empire State.
On March 31, Judge Terry Moorer declined to toss the case out, shifting the matter to the Southern District of New York.
The request for dismissal was filed in June 2025. According to Complex, Buzbee said he had no connection to the state and that it should have been filed in New York instead.
For Buzbee, New York state is not homecourt advantage. In March 2025, Buzbee withdrew from presenting a case after U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams noted that he was prohibited from practicing in the Southern District of New York. The SDNY includes New York, Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan counties. Any filing would require an attached denial.
In 2025, Jay-Z and his legal team amended a defamation lawsuit against Tony Buzbee and Jane Doe, whom he represented in a debunked claim. The new document reveals a $190 million loss in income, credit, and loans.
The lawsuit notes Hov “lost other contracts in the sports and entertainment space that would have generated revenues of, at least, $20 million.” Additionally, Jay states he was denied a $55 million personal credit line and his Roc Nation company was denied a $115 million loan.
“We have agreements to produce entertainment programs for certain sporting events,” the updated documents read. “After Mr. Buzbee filed the lawsuit, the media reported that other businesses could end their deals with Roc Nation, and forced one to speak out and address whether these false allegations would end our business relationship.”