PORM/AKM-GSIKesha's mother and manager have won a legal victory against the singer's former collaborator Dr. Luke, who she had sued more than a year ago over several allegations, including sexual assault and battery.
The 28-year-old pop singer has been prohibited from recording new songs with other music producers amid their legal battle, which began in late 2014.
Dr. Luke had filed a countersuit, calling her allegations "defamatory" and untrue and accusing her and her mother, Pebe Sebert, of defamation and both her mom and her manager, Jack Rovner, of tortious interference with contractual relationships.
Earlier this week, a New York Supreme Court judge tossed out the claims against the latter two.
The judge said there is no jurisdiction over Sebert in the state and granting Kesha's manager's motion to dismiss Dr. Luke's complaint of tortious interference, a common law tort that allows a claim for damages over alleged wrongful interference with a person's contractual or business relationship.
In Dr. Luke's lawsuit, the music producer had claimed Rovner "hates" him and sought to gain control over Kesha's career.
"The tortious interference claim must be dismissed against [Rovner] because they are alleged to have acted in the scope of their authority for the purpose of increasing Kesha's income (and, thereby, their own)," the judge wrote in her ruling, obtained by E! News. "Although [Dr. Luke alleges] that Rovner hates and is jealous of [him], that is not enough. The cases require a showing that the agent acted outside the scope of his authority, in bad faith, and committed an independent tort. Even assuming hatred and jealousy amount to bad faith, they are not torts."
While Kesha's music career has stalled over the past year amid the legal battle, she has found other ways to bring her music to the fans—she toured last year, which included a concert with new band The Yeast Infection, and released a cover of "Amazing Grace" on YouTube.
A new hearing over her lawsuit is set to take place later this month and several fans plan to protest outside the courthouse to show their support for the singer.