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Scene Setters

• A federal judge ended a nearly decade-old $20 million civil case against Katt Williams after ruling the plaintiffs missed Georgia’s service deadline.
• The women served Williams 22 days too late despite multiple warnings from the court about timing.
• The dismissal shuts down the lawsuit permanently unless the plaintiffs pursue an appeal.

By Samuel Lopez | USA Herald

Katt Williams just secured one of the most consequential courtroom wins of his career. A federal judge dismissed the long-running $20 million lawsuit accusing the comedian of assaulting four women outside an Atlanta nightclub in 2016, finding the claims time-barred because the plaintiffs waited too long to serve him. The ruling not only ends a case that has shadowed Williams for years but also underscores how rigid service deadlines are under Georgia law—even when the defendant is a public figure with security and travel demands.

According to court records, the lawsuit arose from a February 28, 2016 confrontation outside Lounge 360 in Midtown Atlanta. The plaintiffs—Selena Boston, Jalisa Rhodes, Lutisha Martinez, and Lanette Washington—alleged that Williams agreed to pose for photos but suddenly became aggressive, tackling Boston to the ground and striking her while associates assaulted the others. They accused Williams of punching and kicking, throwing their belongings into the street, flashing gang signs, and even pointing a firearm. The women filed claims for assault, battery, false imprisonment, slander, and emotional distress.

Their first lawsuit was dismissed after they failed to serve Williams, but they refiled the case in February 2023. That second attempt unraveled for the same reason. In his order granting summary judgment, Judge William M. Ray II noted the plaintiffs made just one early attempt to serve Williams during a performance in Greenville, South Carolina, then waited months before asking the court to involve the U.S. Marshals. Even after receiving authorization, they didn’t send the Marshals until two days before the deadline expired. Williams ultimately wasn’t served until December 29, 2023—twenty-two days past the statutory cutoff.

The plaintiffs argued that Williams’ celebrity status, travel schedule, and private security made timely service difficult. The court disagreed, finding no evidence that Williams attempted to evade service or that his status justified the significant delays. Under Georgia law, plaintiffs must exercise “reasonable diligence” to serve defendants once a case is filed. The judge found that standard unmet.

Although the civil case is now closed, Williams previously faced criminal charges for the same incident. According to WSB-TV, the comedian accepted a plea agreement in 2018 that spared him prison time but required mental-health evaluations and participation in a pretrial intervention program. The victims later told reporters they felt sidelined during the plea process and were not properly informed before the agreement was finalized.

The dismissal means Williams faces no remaining civil liability from the 2016 confrontation. For the four women, whose lawsuit nearly reached trial after years of delays, the window has now closed not on the merits—but on the calendar.

What’s Next
The plaintiffs may attempt an appeal, but their challenge faces steep odds. Statute-of-limitations rulings grounded in service delays are rarely overturned unless a clear error in law or procedure is shown. Williams, meanwhile, leaves this case with finality and no pending civil exposure arising from the 2016 nightclub incident.

Sources
• Order Granting Summary Judgment (U.S. District Court, N.D. Ga., Judge William M. Ray II) 
• Plaintiffs’ Refiled Complaint (Filed Feb. 2023)
• WSB-TV Reporting on 2018 Plea Agreement
• Docket Records (Service timeline entries and U.S. Marshals correspondence)

🛑 It should be noted that the assertions in the lawsuit were allegations and were never proven in a court of law.