A judge has overturned T.I. and Tiny’s $71 million jury award in their battle with toy manufacturer MGA Entertainment. T.I. Harris and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris argued the toy giant copied the name and likeness of their girl group OMG Girlz.
A jury awarded the Hip-Hop couple $71 million in punitive damages. But an appeals court judge disagreed with the jury’s award, according to documents obtained by Rolling Stone.
The first trial started in January 2023 but ended in a mistrial when jurors heard banned testimony accusing the toy company of “cultural appropriation.”
A few months later, a second jury cleared MGA Entertainment of any wrongdoing, but the verdict was overturned on appeal.
T.I. and Tiny were victorious in a third trial in which the jury awarded the couple $71 million in September 2024.
AMG Entertainment appealed the jury award. On Tuesday, July 8, the U.S. District Court of Appeals found that the punitive award for damages – $53.6 million – was “unsupported” by the facts of the trial.
Judge James V. Selna granted the power couple just $1 in punitive damages, plus the remaining $17.9 million.
After the attorneys take their cut, the plaintiffs, including the members of the OMG Girlz, will divide just over $8 million.
Judge Selna gave T.I. and Tiny just 2 weeks to accept the court’s decision – or they can file for a new trial.
The judge wrote in his decision: “There was no reliable evidence that MGA had any knowledge of the group’s trade dress or desire to use their likeness to create infringing dolls.”
T.I. and Tiny are considering their options and their next steps, said their lawyer, John Keville with Sheppard Mullin.
Meanwhile, Tiny is gearing up for her star-studded 50th birthday bash in Atlanta on Monday, July 14. The invitations have already gone out, and your favorite blogger is on the guest list.
