Candace Owens Lawsuit: Three Defamation Cases, No Ruling Yet
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The Candace Owens lawsuit in the news right now is the newest one: on September 28, 2026 a Utah man who was in the crowd when Charlie Kirk was shot sued her in federal court, alleging she cast him as a suspect. It joins two older cases — the Macrons in Delaware and Kirk’s former security chief in Tennessee. All three are defamation suits brought by the people who say they were defamed. This is not a class action: there is no settlement, no fund, no claim form and nothing for the public to file.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Three Lawsuits Allege
Every lawsuit against Candace Owens currently pending is a defamation case over things she said on her podcast. The Hild and Macron suits name Owens and her two Delaware companies, Candace Owens LLC and GeorgeTom, Inc., as defendants; Harpole sues Owens and Mitch Snow.
Hild (Utah, 2026): Robert L. Hild, Jr. attended the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. The complaint alleges Owens told her audience he resembled the person in the FBI stairwell photos and later suggested ties to foreign actors. The lawsuit alleges video put him in the audience at 11:52 a.m., while the stairwell images were taken at about 11:51 a.m. He says Owens refused to retract.
Harpole (Tennessee, 2026): Brian Harpole, Kirk’s former head of security, alleges Owens falsely accused him of conspiring in the assassination, including a meeting at Fort Huachuca on September 9, 2025. The complaint says travel records place him in Dallas. Owens called the suit “insane” and denied wrongdoing.
Macron (Delaware, 2025): Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron allege Owens ran a smear campaign built on the claim that Brigitte Macron was born male, which they say is false.
Case Details
Hild v. Owens — U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, No. 2:26-cv-00896, filed September 28, 2026, before U.S. District Judge David Barlow. Four claims: defamation per se, implied defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false light. Diversity jurisdiction, amount in controversy over $75,000.
Harpole v. Owens — U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, No. 3:26-cv-00556, filed in Nashville in April 2026. Also names Mitch Snow. A 69-page complaint.
Macron v. Owens — Delaware Superior Court, C.A. No. N25C-07-194, filed July 23, 2025, before Judge Sheldon K. Rennie. A 22-count complaint, later replaced by a 241-page amended complaint. The Macrons seek unspecified damages, including punitive damages.
Status as of October 8, 2026: All Three Pending
Harpole: By order filed July 8, 2026, every district and magistrate judge in the Middle District of Tennessee recused, and a judge from outside the district is to be designated by the Sixth Circuit. We could not confirm whether that designation has happened.
Macron: Owens moved to dismiss in September 2025, arguing Delaware lacks jurisdiction and that France’s three-month limitations period bars the claims. Judge Rennie heard argument on July 27, 2026 and adjourned without ruling. No decision had been reported as of late September 2026.
None of the three has been settled or decided on the merits.
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Who Is Affected — and Who Is Not
Only the named plaintiffs. A defamation suit is personal: it belongs to the person who says their reputation was harmed. There is no class, no list of eligible people and no way to “join” any of these cases as a listener, subscriber or customer.
If you believe something said about you was false and damaging, that is your own claim with its own deadline, which varies by state. Our guide to defamation of character lawsuits explains what has to be proved.
Is There Money for Anyone?
Candace Owens Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
July 23, 2025 — The Macrons Sue in Delaware
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron file a 22-count defamation complaint in Delaware Superior Court, No. N25C-07-194.
- 2
September 12, 2025 — Owens Moves to Dismiss
Owens files a 43-page motion arguing Delaware lacks jurisdiction and that France’s three-month limitations period applies. The Macrons answer with a 241-page amended complaint.
- 3
April 2026 — Kirk’s Former Security Chief Sues
Brian Harpole files in federal court in Nashville, No. 3:26-cv-00556, against Owens and Mitch Snow.
- 4
July 2026 — Recusals and a Delaware Hearing
July 8: all Middle District of Tennessee judges recuse from Harpole. July 27: Judge Rennie hears the Delaware motion to dismiss and does not rule from the bench.
- 5
September 28, 2026 — The Utah Lawsuit
Robert L. Hild, Jr. sues in the District of Utah, No. 2:26-cv-00896. On September 29 Judge Barlow sets an October 13, 2026 deadline to cure the jurisdiction pleading.
- 6
As of October 8, 2026 — Nothing Decided
All three cases are pending. No settlement, no judgment, no claim form and no payments exist.
Three Things to Watch For
Celebrity lawsuits generate a lot of bait. Three patterns fit this case:
“Claim your share of the Candace Owens settlement”
There is no settlement and no class. Any page asking for your details or a fee to collect money from these cases is collecting data, not filing a claim.
Fake “Owens lost” or “case dismissed” clips
As of October 8, 2026 no court has ruled on the merits of any of the three cases. AI-voiced videos and screenshots claiming a verdict or a dollar figure are not court records — check the case number against a docket.
Donation and “legal defense” appeals
Crowdfunding links using the names of Owens, the Macrons or the plaintiffs spread whenever a suit trends. Give only through a channel the person has publicly confirmed themselves.
Candace Owens Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Who filed the newest lawsuit against Candace Owens?
Robert L. Hild, Jr., a Utah man who attended the Utah Valley University event where Charlie Kirk was shot. He filed on September 28, 2026 in the District of Utah, No. 2:26-cv-00896, alleging defamation, implied defamation, emotional distress and false light.
How many lawsuits is Candace Owens facing?
Three pending defamation suits as of October 8, 2026: the Macrons in Delaware Superior Court, Brian Harpole in the Middle District of Tennessee, and Hild in the District of Utah.
Has the judge ruled in the Macron case?
Not as of the latest reporting we could verify. Judge Sheldon K. Rennie heard Owens’ motion to dismiss on July 27, 2026 and adjourned without ruling; reporting from late September 2026 said he still had not ruled. If he grants it, the case ends in that court, though the Macrons could appeal.
Why did the Macrons sue in Delaware?
Owens’ two companies are Delaware entities, and the Macrons argue those companies published the statements. Owens argues she has no personal connection to Delaware and that the suit was filed there to use Delaware’s two-year limitations period instead of France’s three-month limit.
Could the Utah case be dismissed already?
Judge Barlow’s September 29, 2026 order required the plaintiff to plead the citizenship of the LLC’s members and the Doe defendants by October 13, 2026, or face dismissal for lack of jurisdiction. That is a technical requirement for federal diversity cases, not a finding about the allegations.
Is there a Candace Owens settlement or claim form?
No. None of the cases is a class action, none has settled, and there is no fund, administrator, claim form or deadline for the public.
Why did every judge in Tennessee step aside from the Harpole case?
The July 8, 2026 order says all district and magistrate judges of the Middle District of Tennessee recused and that the Sixth Circuit will designate an outside judge. The order gives no reason.
Did Owens win anything in France?
Owens was not a party in France. In a separate case, a Paris court on January 5, 2026 convicted 10 people of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron over posts claiming she is a man.
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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