Katt Williams Defeats Long-Running $20 Million Assault Lawsuit After Judge Rules Claims Were Filed Too Late

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.