Jay-Z Chooses Not to Seek Attorney Fees From Alleged Son After Paternity Case Win

Jay-Z has formally closed a decade-long chapter of legal battles over paternity allegations, but has surprisingly decided not to pursue attorney fees against alleged son.

The 55-year-old music mogul secured a complete legal victory in Los Angeles federal court when Rymir Satterthwaite, who claimed the rapper was his biological father, voluntarily withdrew his lawsuit in July 2025.

By letting the deadline for fee claims pass, Complex reported that Jay-Z has ended the matter without seeking financial fees on a dispute that has followed him for over 10 years.

Jay-Z Wins Paternity Case Against Satterthwaite

The paternity claims first emerged in 2010, when Wanda Satterthwaite, Rymir's late mother, alleged that Jay-Z had fathered her son during the early 1990s. Initial cases filed in New Jersey were dismissed for being in the wrong jurisdiction.

After Wanda's passing, her friend and Rymir's legal guardian, Lillie Coley, took over the fight, continuing to pursue damages and alleging emotional distress caused by Jay-Z's refusal to undergo DNA testing.

Despite these efforts, the courts repeatedly found no valid reason to proceed. In November 2025, the Central District of California officially dismissed the final lawsuit filed by Coley, blocking any future changes or refilings. The judge decided that Coley's claims fell under California's anti-SLAPP statute, which protects individuals from meritless legal actions arising from protected acts, including statements made in court proceedings.

Jay-Z's legal team argued that all claims were linked to prior filings, statements, and proceedings, which are legally protected. The court agreed, noting that the allegations were based entirely on documents and statements made during litigation.

The judge emphasised that Coley's filing failed to address the anti-SLAPP claim directly, leading to the dismissal without leave to amend.

A separate federal case filed by Satterthwaite earlier in 2025 was voluntarily withdrawn with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. Jay-Z's lawyers described both actions as 'fabricated allegations' and a 'decades-long harassment campaign'.

Why Jay-Z Did Not Pursue Legal Fees

Social media users were quick to react, saying Jay-Z decided not to make Satterthwaite pay him over attorney fees because it's his son.

However, sources say Jay-Z chose not to seek reimbursement for attorney costs to avoid extending the legal conflict.

Legal filings indicate that he allowed the court-imposed deadline to lapse, effectively closing the matter without pursuing additional financial claims.

The resolution clears the legal landscape for Jay-Z, who shares three children with wife, Beyoncé. While Satterthwaite has suggested he may continue to pursue the matter independently, the dismissals with prejudice make further litigation unlikely.

Jay-Z's legal team has stated that he has always denied the allegations. Several courts have examined and dismissed these claims over the years and found no solid basis to the claim.

With the paternity dispute officially behind him, Jay-Z can redirect his attention to business, music, and family life. The decision not to seek attorney fees suggests a preference for closure over further litigation, an end to a chapter that has followed the Carter family for more than a decade.

The courts have definitively ruled, and with no remaining active lawsuits, it's legally determined that Jay-Z is not Satterthwaite's father.