Bad Bunny Lawsuit: Which Cases Are Live, and What They Mean for You
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There is no single “Bad Bunny lawsuit.” As of October 2026 there are three live disputes — a federal copyright case over the reggaeton dembow rhythm and two Puerto Rico suits over voice recordings — plus one sample case he already won. All are copyright or publicity disputes between artists and creators. None is a consumer class action: there is no settlement, no fund, no claim form and no deadline for fans.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What Each Lawsuit Against Bad Bunny Claims
The dembow case. Cleveland “Clevie” Browne and the heirs of Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson claim their 1989 song “Fish Market” is the source of the “dem bow rhythm” heard throughout reggaeton. They sue more than 150 artists, including Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio), Karol G, Drake and Daddy Yankee, over more than 1,800 songs.
The “Bad Bunny, baby” case. His former girlfriend, Carliz De La Cruz Hernández, sued in 2023 seeking $40 million. She alleges she recorded the phrase in 2015 and that it was used on “Pa Ti” and “Dos Mil 16” without her permission. The lawsuit alleges a representative offered her $2,000 for the recording in May 2022 and she declined.
The “EoO” case. Tainaly Y. Serrano Rivera sued Bad Bunny and his label Rimas Entertainment for $16 million. Her 32-page complaint alleges her recorded voice was used on “Solo de Mí” (2018) and “EoO” (2025) without a contract, under Puerto Rico's Act No. 55-2012 (moral rights) and Act No. 139-2011 (right of publicity).
Case Details
The dembow case is Browne v. Donalds, No. 2:21-cv-02840, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, before Judge André Birotte Jr. It was filed in 2021 and consolidates suits against many artists. The two voice cases are in Puerto Rico's local courts: Serrano Rivera filed in San Juan on January 5, 2026; the De La Cruz case went to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico and was sent back to the Court of First Instance. The closed sample case, brought by Nigerian producer Dera (Ezeani Chidera Godfrey) over “Enséñame a Bailar,” was in federal court before Judge Otis D. Wright II.
Status: Active Copyright Fights, No Settlement
Dembow case — narrowed, not over. In July 2026 Judge Birotte let the core composition claim go toward a jury. He then reversed himself in a ruling reported on September 2, 2026, writing that the plaintiffs had “not identified a single copyrighted work” containing the arrangement they claim. Narrower claims that artists directly sampled Steely & Clevie recordings remain. Digital Music News reported on September 24, 2026 that the plaintiffs asked the judge to reconsider, with a hearing tentatively set for late October.
“Bad Bunny, baby” — partly revived. In July 2026 Puerto Rico's Supreme Court let the “Dos Mil 16” claims proceed and held the “Pa Ti” claims time-barred.
“EoO” — pending. No ruling has been reported since the January 2026 filing.
“Enséñame a Bailar” — closed. Dismissed March 9, 2026; on August 20, 2026 the judge denied Bad Bunny's request for $465,612 in legal fees.
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Are You Affected?
Almost certainly not as a fan or listener. These are lawsuits between rights holders: the plaintiffs are producers and individuals whose recordings were allegedly used. No court has certified a class of consumers, streamers or ticket buyers, and none is proposed in any of these cases.
The only people with a direct stake are the named parties and, in the dembow case, the many artists and labels sued alongside Bad Bunny. If you were looking for a consumer claim, our list of open class action settlements shows the ones you can actually file in.
Is There Any Money for Fans?
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 56,816 federal civil cases of this typeclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025:
- 20.1% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 57.3% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 20.1% and 77.4%.
- 2.1% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 310 reached a trial (0.3%), after a median of 29.4 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 4.3 months.
- Only 1,959 of them (3.4%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $35,000.
These are base rates for this type of case — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
Bad Bunny Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
2021 — Steely & Clevie Sue Over Dembow
Browne and the Johnson heirs file in federal court in Los Angeles, claiming “Fish Market” (1989) underlies reggaeton's beat.
- 2
2023 — Ex-Girlfriend Sues for $40 Million
Carliz De La Cruz Hernández sues over the “Bad Bunny, baby” recording she says she made in 2015.
- 3
January 5, 2026 — The “EoO” Voice Suit
Tainaly Y. Serrano Rivera files in San Juan seeking $16 million, weeks before his Super Bowl LX halftime show on February 8, 2026.
- 4
March 9, 2026 — Sample Case Dismissed
Judge Otis D. Wright II dismisses the “Enséñame a Bailar” suit after the producer missed deadlines. On August 20, 2026 he denies Bad Bunny $465,612 in fees.
- 5
July 2026 — Two Courts Rule
Puerto Rico's Supreme Court revives the “Dos Mil 16” claims. In Los Angeles, Judge Birotte first sends the dembow claim toward a jury.
- 6
September 2026 — Dembow Claim Reversed
Birotte reverses himself on the composition claim (reported September 2); sampling claims remain. On September 24 the plaintiffs' reconsideration request is reported.
Three Things to Watch For
Celebrity lawsuits with big dollar figures attract fake “settlement” offers aimed at fans:
“Claim your Bad Bunny settlement” links
There is no Bad Bunny class settlement for fans, streamers or concert-goers. A page asking for your name, card or bank details to “claim your share” is collecting data, not filing anything.
Fake ticket-refund or tour-compensation messages
None of these cases concerns ticket sales or concerts as a consumer issue. A text or email promising refunds “from the Bad Bunny lawsuit” and asking you to log in or pay a processing fee is phishing.
“Your voice or song was used — join the case”
The voice suits are individual claims by named people; there is nothing to join. Unsolicited offers to add you to a Bad Bunny copyright case for an upfront fee are not how any court process works.
Bad Bunny Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Is there a lawsuit against Bad Bunny right now?
Yes, several. As of October 2026 the live ones are the federal dembow copyright case (No. 2:21-cv-02840, narrowed in September 2026) and two Puerto Rico suits over voice recordings: the De La Cruz “Bad Bunny, baby” case and the Serrano Rivera “EoO” case. A fourth, over “Enséñame a Bailar,” was dismissed on March 9, 2026.
Is there a Bad Bunny class action settlement or claim form?
No. None of these is a consumer class action. There is no settlement, no fund, no claim form and no deadline. Anything telling you otherwise is not from a court.
Did Bad Bunny win the reggaeton dembow lawsuit?
Partly. In a ruling reported September 2, 2026, Judge André Birotte Jr. threw out the central composition claim because the plaintiffs had not identified a single copyrighted work containing the arrangement. Claims that artists directly sampled Steely & Clevie recordings remain, and the plaintiffs have asked him to reconsider.
Why is Bad Bunny being sued over voice recordings?
Two women allege their recorded voices were used on his songs without a contract. Carliz De La Cruz Hernández seeks $40 million over “Bad Bunny, baby”; Tainaly Y. Serrano Rivera seeks $16 million over a line on “Solo de Mí” and “EoO.” Both are allegations; neither case has reached a verdict.
What happened with the Un Verano Sin Ti sample case?
Producer Dera alleged “Enséñame a Bailar” used an uncleared sample of his 2019 track “Empty My Pocket.” Judge Wright dismissed it on March 9, 2026 after missed deadlines, then on August 20, 2026 refused Bad Bunny's request for $465,612 in fees, finding the suit “objectively reasonable.”
Has Bad Bunny sued anyone himself?
Yes. In March 2024 he sued a YouTube channel operator in federal court in San Francisco, accusing him of posting bootleg videos of 10 songs from a Salt Lake City concert. That is a copyright case brought by Bad Bunny, not against him.
Can a lawyer sue you for a bad review, and can you sue a bad lawyer?
People who read celebrity lawsuit news often ask both. Can a lawyer sue you for a bad review? Only for false statements of fact presented as true — honest opinion and accurate accounts of your experience are generally protected; see our defamation guide. Can you sue a bad lawyer? Yes, through a legal malpractice claim, but losing a case is not enough: you generally must show the lawyer's error caused you a loss you would otherwise have avoided.
How bad is a data breach compared with a lawsuit like this?
Different in kind. How bad is a data breach depends on what was exposed — a leaked Social Security number creates lasting identity-theft risk, which is why breach cases often become consumer class actions with claim forms. The Bad Bunny lawsuits involve no consumer data at all. To estimate a breach payout, use our data breach settlement calculator.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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