Tyler Perry Lawsuit: Two Actors' Cases, Where They Stand
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AI Legal Assistant · free · answers in seconds · general information, not legal advice
The “Tyler Perry lawsuit” in the news is really two separate individual suits by actors who allege sexual harassment and assault. Perry denies every allegation. Neither case is a class action. As of October 8, 2026, neither has been decided or settled, and there is no fund, no claim form and no deadline for anyone else.
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 the Two Lawsuits Allege
Dixon v. Perry. Derek Dixon, an actor on the BET drama “The Oval,” filed his lawsuit against Tyler Perry in Los Angeles Superior Court in June 2025, seeking at least $260 million. The lawsuit alleges Perry used his control over Dixon's role to create a coercive dynamic, then subjected him to “escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation.” Perry's companies TPS Production Services, LLC and And Action, LLC are also defendants.
Rodriguez v. Perry and Lionsgate. Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” sued in Los Angeles Superior Court in late December 2025. His complaint alleges sexual assault and sexual battery, and it names Lionsgate on negligence theories. It originally demanded $77 million.
Perry denies all allegations in both actions. His lawyers have called the claims “fabricated” and a “failed money grab.” None of this has been proven in court.
Case Details
Dixon: filed in Los Angeles Superior Court as No. 25STCV17235, removed by the defendants on September 24, 2025 to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (No. 2:25-cv-09112, Judge John F. Walter). On December 12, 2025 the court denied Dixon's bid to return to state court and the case moved to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, where it is Dixon v. Perry, No. 1:25-cv-07102, before Judge Sarah E. Geraghty, with Magistrate Judge Christopher C. Bly. Docket: CourtListener.
Rodriguez: Los Angeles Superior Court, before Judge Brock T. Hammond. The complaint was amended on April 21, 2026 and again on July 8, 2026.
Status: Both Cases Pending, No Settlement
Dixon (Georgia federal court): Dixon filed an amended complaint on April 1, 2026. Perry and his companies moved to dismiss it on April 27, 2026; briefing closed with their reply on June 22, 2026. The public docket shows no ruling on that motion as of October 8, 2026. The latest entry, on August 14, 2026, is Dixon's notice that he received right-to-sue notices from the EEOC.
Rodriguez (Los Angeles): Lionsgate has again asked to be dismissed from the case, with a hearing set for October 20, 2026. On July 27, 2026 Judge Hammond denied Rodriguez's motion to force an earlier deposition, noting Perry had agreed to sit for one in person on December 9, 2026. Perry's lawyers say the latest complaint dropped the $77 million demand.
There is no verdict, no settlement, no fund and no claim form in either case.
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Who Is Affected
Only the two plaintiffs. These are individual lawsuits, not class actions: no class has been proposed, so viewers, fans, Tyler Perry Studios employees and Lionsgate customers are not members of anything and cannot sign up.
If either case settles, the money goes to the named plaintiff, and private settlements of this kind are often confidential. A person with their own claim against anyone would need their own lawsuit and their own lawyer.
Is Anyone Getting Paid?
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 131,493 civil rights employment casesclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025, 1.5% of them filed as class actions:
- 41.8% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 14% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 41.8% and 55.7%.
- 12.3% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 76 reached a trial (1.3%), after a median of 27.5 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 10.1 months.
- Only 1,159 of them (0.9%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $250,000.
These are base rates for this type of case (federal civil rights employment cases) — 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.
Tyler Perry Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
June 2025 — Dixon Sues in Los Angeles
Derek Dixon files in Los Angeles Superior Court (No. 25STCV17235), seeking at least $260 million. Perry's attorney calls the claims fabricated.
- 2
September 24, 2025 — Moved to Federal Court
Perry and his companies remove the case to the Central District of California (No. 2:25-cv-09112) and later move to dismiss it.
- 3
December 12, 2025 — Case Sent to Georgia
The California federal court denies Dixon's request to return to state court. The case becomes No. 1:25-cv-07102 in the Northern District of Georgia.
- 4
Late December 2025 — Rodriguez Files Second Suit
Mario Rodriguez sues Perry and Lionsgate in Los Angeles Superior Court, demanding $77 million. Perry's lawyer calls it a failed money grab.
- 5
April 1 – June 22, 2026 — Dismissal Fight in Georgia
Dixon amends his complaint on April 1, Perry moves to dismiss on April 27, and the motion is fully briefed on June 22, 2026.
- 6
October 2026 — Both Cases Still Pending
As of October 8, 2026, the Georgia motion to dismiss has no ruling shown on the docket. In Los Angeles, a hearing on Lionsgate's dismissal motion is set for October 20 and Perry's deposition for December 9, 2026.
Three Things to Watch For
A famous name plus large dollar figures attracts imposters and clickbait:
“Claim your Tyler Perry settlement payment”
There is no class, no fund and no claims administrator in either case. Any site or text asking for your details or a fee to “join the Tyler Perry lawsuit” is not connected to a court.
Videos announcing a verdict or settlement
Be skeptical of videos or posts announcing a verdict or settlement. Neither docket shows one, so check the docket or a major outlet before believing that a case was won, lost or settled.
Accounts posing as Perry or his studio
Messages from “Tyler Perry” or “Tyler Perry Studios” offering roles, money or hush payments tied to the lawsuits are a classic impersonation pattern. Real casting does not ask for gift cards, wire transfers or bank logins.
Tyler Perry Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
What is the Tyler Perry lawsuit about?
Two actors have filed separate civil suits alleging sexual harassment and assault. Derek Dixon, from “The Oval,” sued in June 2025 seeking at least $260 million; Mario Rodriguez, from “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” sued in late December 2025. Perry denies all allegations.
Has Tyler Perry been found liable?
No. As of October 8, 2026, neither case has gone to trial and no court has ruled on the merits. The claims are allegations, which Perry denies.
Where is the Dixon case now?
In the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, No. 1:25-cv-07102, before Judge Sarah E. Geraghty. Perry's motion to dismiss the amended complaint was fully briefed on June 22, 2026; no ruling appears on the docket as of October 8, 2026.
Why did the Dixon case move from California to Georgia?
Perry's side removed it to federal court on September 24, 2025. On December 12, 2025 the California federal court found Dixon had not shown he resided in California, denied his request to go back to state court, and the case went to Georgia, Perry's home base.
What is happening in the Rodriguez case?
It is in pretrial proceedings in Los Angeles Superior Court before Judge Brock T. Hammond. Lionsgate's latest motion to be dismissed is set for hearing on October 20, 2026, and Perry agreed to an in-person deposition on December 9, 2026.
Is there a class action or settlement I can join?
No. Both are individual lawsuits. There is no class, no settlement, no claim form and no deadline. Nobody outside the two plaintiffs is owed anything from these cases.
Is Lionsgate being sued too?
Yes, only in the Rodriguez case, on negligence and negligent retention claims. Lionsgate says it has no liability and has asked to be dropped; Perry's lawyers argue it was added to keep the case out of federal court.
Where can I check the lawsuit against Tyler Perry myself?
The Georgia federal docket (No. 1:25-cv-07102) is public on PACER and CourtListener. The Rodriguez case is in Los Angeles Superior Court's online case records. Be wary of any outlet that cites no court filing.
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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