The Most Shocking Celebrity Lawsuits of 2021
The year 2021 has been a roller coaster for many. While many popular celebrities around the world made headlines for their great achievements, some drew media attention for their shocking court trials.
Take a look at the most shocking celebrity lawsuits of 2021.
Termination of Guardianship of Britney Spears:
One lawsuit that garnered massive media attention in 2021 is the termination of the tutelage of pop icon Britney Spears. After fourteen years of battle, a Los Angeles court judge ruled to end the guardianship, giving the pop star control over her health, wealth and finances.
Britney was released from the guardianship that had long traumatized and exploited her. In 2008, her father, Jamie Spears, was granted guardianship after the singer allegedly struggled with mental health issues and was hospitalized. After her release, the court made the conservatorship permanent, giving her father and another co-conservator power over her finances and medical decisions.
Britney, 40, broke her silence on the guardianship over the summer, revealing that the arrangement was "abusive" and claiming that the members of the guardianship were in full control of her life.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's legal battle:
Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have made headlines throughout the years due to their ongoing divorce proceedings. The estranged couple have been fighting in court, each claiming abuse against the other.
But the Pirates of the Caribbean actor scored a potential victory in his lawsuit against Heard. He sued Heard over an opinion piece that ran in the Washington Post in 2018, implying that he abused Heard, calling him a "wife beater" after the couple's divorce in 2017.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex:
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, won the last leg of her long legal fight against a British tabloid, the Daily Mail, over a letter she sent to her father.
The Court of Appeal accepted Meghan's argument that the letter to Thomas Markle in August 2018, three months after her wedding to Prince Harry, was "deeply personal."
Scarlett Johansson and Disney:
Award-winning Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson indicted Disney's movie studio in an explosive lawsuit in July in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that the studio sabotaged Black Widow's box office potential to grow its newly launched Disney + streaming service.
However, the parties reached an agreement and Johansson had requested a payment of $ 50 million from the studio.
Black Widow was initially scheduled to launch in May 2020, but was postponed multiple times amid the pandemic. In March 2021, Disney announced that it would be released simultaneously in theaters and via Disney Plus on July 9, allowing subscribers to rent the film for $ 30.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York:
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was sued by New York-based Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when he was 17 years old.
Andrew, 61, has denied similar allegations by Giuffre in the past. Giuffre has started a civil case seeking damages. The case may lead to Andrew facing civil trial in the US for alleged sexual abuse in late 2022.
Andrew, who is the third child of the Queen of Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth, withdrew from his royal duties following an interview he gave to the BBC in 2019.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on whether the Duke of York had been notified and previously declined to comment on the litigation.
Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' Copyright Lawsuit:
Popular singer Taylor Swift may face a copyright infringement lawsuit for stealing the lyrics of a 3LW song.
The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2017 by songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, accuses 31-year-old Swift of stealing lyrics from 3LW’s 2001 hit musical Beaches Gon ‘Play writing Take It Off.
A judge for the US District Court for the Central District of California stated that Swift's attorneys "made a strong final argument," but still denied the singer's request to dismiss the case.
