Nationwide — Jermaine Jackson, one of the members of the Jackson 5, has won a court ruling that overturned a $6.5 million default judgment in a Los Angeles sexual assault lawsuit tied to a 1988 allegation. The judge ruled he was not properly notified, which invalidated the earlier decision.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elaine W. Mandel issued the ruling on June 30. She reviewed filings from both sides and decided to void the judgment that had previously gone in favor of the plaintiff.
According to People, the default judgment was entered after Jackson did not respond to the lawsuit within the required deadlines. That earlier ruling allowed the court to side with the plaintiff and assign damages.
Jackson, the older brother of Michael Jackson, argued that he was incorrectly identified in the case. He said legal documents used the name “Jermaine Jackson” even though he officially changed his name to “Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun” in 2013.
He also told the court he was living in Bahrain when attempts were made to serve him legal papers. According to his account, notices were sent to his mother’s home in Encino, California, and he never saw them. He also said a summons published in the Los Angeles Times did not reach him.
The plaintiff’s legal team argued that Jackson had been properly served and simply failed to respond. They maintained that the case should have moved forward based on that service.
In her ruling, Judge Mandel said the combination of an incorrect legal name and service issues overseas made the default judgment invalid. She noted that while serving someone abroad can be difficult, the errors in how Jackson was identified and notified could not be ignored.
The lawsuit was filed in December 2023 by Rita Butler Barrett. She accused Jackson of sexually assaulting her in 1988 after he allegedly entered her home without permission. She also claimed the incident caused lasting emotional and financial harm.
Barrett further alleged she reported the incident to Motown founder Berry Gordy the next day, but said it was covered up to protect Jackson’s career. Those claims remain part of the ongoing case.
Jackson’s attorney, Bret Lewis, said his client denies all allegations. He added that the defense team plans to continue fighting the case in court.