Story perspectives

Mariah Carey Wins Dismissal of Morgan Carey’s $20M Suit

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 6:07 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Mariah Carey won dismissal of Morgan Carey’s $20 million defamation lawsuit.
Justice Leslie A. Stroth of the New York State Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 19 2026.
Stroth found Morgan Carey failed to prove actual malice regarding memoir claims.
Morgan Carey alleged the memoir portrayed him as a violent drug dealer.
Richard Altman said he will appeal, calling the decision inconsistent with prior rulings.

History

Historical Context

In 1964 the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan that public officials must prove “actual malice”—knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard—to win a defamation suit. That standard, applied in more than 1,200 cases, guided Justice Leslie A. Stroth’s October 19 2026 dismissal of Morgan Carey’s $20 million claim against Mariah Carey.

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Story summary

Mariah Carey won dismissal of Morgan Carey’s $20 million defamation lawsuit.
Justice Leslie A. Stroth of the New York State Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 19 2026.
Stroth found Morgan Carey failed to prove actual malice regarding memoir claims.
Morgan Carey alleged the memoir portrayed him as a violent drug dealer.
Richard Altman said he will appeal, calling the decision inconsistent with prior rulings.

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