EXCLUSIVE: T.I. Presses Judge To Toss Sabrina Peterson’s Defamation Case

October 30, 2025

T.I. is asking a federal judge to reject Sabrina Peterson’s counterclaims, citing California protections for speech made during legal proceedings.

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T.I. asked a Los Angeles federal judge to throw out Sabrina Peterson‘s counterclaims for defamation, abuse of process and emotional distress, saying her lawsuit lacks legal standing and violates California’s speech protections.

Attorneys for the Atlanta rap mogul filed a motion on October 29 arguing that Peterson’s second amended counter-complaint should be dismissed under California’s litigation privilege and anti-SLAPP law.

The anti-SLAPP statute—short for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation—is designed to prevent people from using the courts to silence critics or chill protected speech.

T.I. contends that the statements Peterson is challenging were made in the context of ongoing litigation and are therefore immune from liability. His lawyers wrote that the claims “fail as a matter of law” and should be tossed before trial.

The motion stems from a December 13, 2024, lawsuit T.I. filed against Peterson, accusing her of defamation after she posted on Instagram that he was under a federal sex-trafficking investigation connected to a celebrity case.

T.I. denies the claim, stating that it has damaged his reputation.

Peterson responded with counterclaims, including one for intentional infliction of emotional distress. She cited a July 6, 2025, Instagram video in which T.I. promoted a comedy event.

Her filing claims the video was aimed at her and caused emotional harm.

But T.I.’s legal team says the video never mentioned Peterson and cannot legally be considered “extreme and outrageous” conduct, a requirement for an emotional distress claim. His attorneys argue the video was a general promotion and unrelated to any personal dispute.

A hearing on the motion is scheduled for December 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Fernando M. Olguin in downtown Los Angeles.

The legal saga between T.I. and Peterson has dragged on for years, beginning with Peterson’s 2021 public accusation that the rap star once held a gun to her head in 2009.

She later sued T.I., his wife Tiny Harris and a friend for defamation after they publicly denied her claims. That lawsuit stalled in 2023 when a judge dismissed five of Peterson’s seven claims.

By March 2025, the entire case was dismissed without prejudice after Peterson missed multiple court deadlines and failed to pay nearly $100,000 in legal fees to the Harrises.

Peterson attempted to revive the case in October 2025, arguing that her former attorney had mishandled it. The judge rejected her request, citing a lack of excusable neglect and procedural compliance. She has since stated she plans to appeal the ruling.

In the meantime, T.I. filed a separate federal defamation lawsuit in December 2024 targeting Peterson’s newer Instagram posts, including the one alleging a federal sex-trafficking probe.

That case prompted Peterson’s current counterclaims, which T.I. now seeks to strike.

The court has ordered both parties to attend a settlement conference by November 24, 2025. If no agreement is reached, the trial is set to begin on June 9, 2026.

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