Mariah Carey Gets Her Brother’s $20 Million Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed After Five-Year Legal Battle

Mariah Carey has spent decades giving us unforgettable music, iconic performances and some of the most entertaining celebrity interviews imaginable. Unfortunately, her relationship with her family has been considerably less joyful. And now, after five years of legal proceedings, the singer has secured a significant victory in court.

On Monday, October 19, a New York judge dismissed the remaining claims in a $20 million defamation lawsuit filed by Mariah’s older brother, Morgan Carey, over passages in her bestselling 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

The lawsuit had been hanging over the singer since 2021, when Morgan accused his sister of damaging his reputation through allegations about his past.

Why Did Mariah Carey’s Brother Sue Her?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Morgan filed his lawsuit in May 2021, several months after Mariah published her memoir. The book explored her complicated childhood, family relationships, experiences with racism and journey to becoming one of the world’s most successful recording artists.

Morgan objected to several passages describing his alleged behaviour. Among the disputed claims were descriptions of violence within the family and suggestions that Morgan had sold cocaine and spent time in prison.

Morgan denied the allegations and argued that the book had damaged his reputation. He initially challenged eight passages, but a judge dismissed most of those claims in 2022. Two passages concerning alleged drug dealing and imprisonment remained at issue as the litigation continued.

Morgan sought damages exceeding $20 million. And this is where I find the entire situation rather heartbreaking. Imagine writing a memoir about your childhood, the experiences that shaped you and the family relationships that affected your life, only to end up fighting your own sibling in court for years.

Of course, Morgan had the right to challenge statements he believed were defamatory. Publishing a memoir doesn’t give anyone unlimited freedom to make false allegations. But surely there is something particularly painful about a family disagreement becoming a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

Why Did the Judge Dismiss the Lawsuit?

New York Supreme Court Justice Leslie A. Stroth dismissed the remaining claims on October 19. The judge concluded that Morgan had not sufficiently established that Mariah acted with “actual malice”, the legal standard applicable to his claims under New York’s anti-SLAPP law.

In this context, actual malice does not simply mean hostility or resentment. It requires showing that the person publishing a statement knew it was false or acted with reckless disregard for whether it was true.

Morgan argued that Mariah had prioritised the commercial success of her memoir over verifying the disputed statements. However, the judge found that his allegations did not meet the necessary legal threshold.

Importantly, the dismissal does not mean the court independently verified every statement in Mariah’s memoir as true. It means Morgan failed to establish the requirements needed for his defamation claims to proceed. That distinction is important, particularly when discussing allegations involving real people and complicated family histories.

Mariah Carey’s Lawyer Welcomes the Decision

Following the ruling, Mariah’s attorney, John Rosenberg, welcomed the outcome. He said Mariah was pleased that the court recognised the public-interest issues addressed in her memoir.

Rosenberg also argued that the decision reinforced the importance of protecting authors who discuss matters of public concern. And I think that is an important consideration.

Memoirs are inherently personal. They reflect how someone remembers and understands the events that shaped their life. That doesn’t place every recollection beyond scrutiny, but it would be difficult for anyone to write meaningfully about their childhood if they were expected to avoid every painful family experience.

Mariah’s book was never simply a collection of glamorous celebrity anecdotes. She discussed difficult relationships, childhood instability and experiences that continued to influence her long after she became famous.

Those subjects were part of the story she wanted to tell. And whatever one thinks about the disagreements within her family, Mariah deserves the opportunity to speak about her own experiences.

The Saddest Part Is That This Is Her Brother

What bothers me most isn’t even the amount of money involved. It’s the fact that the lawsuit came from Mariah’s own sibling. Family relationships can be extraordinarily complicated, particularly when people have different recollections of painful events.

One person’s defining childhood memory might be something another family member remembers completely differently. And when those disagreements involve a celebrity whose memoir reaches millions of readers, the consequences can become much greater.

But five years of litigation? Imagine the legal expenses, public scrutiny and emotional energy involved in fighting your own sister over a book. There are disagreements that families simply cannot resolve privately, and sometimes legal intervention is necessary.

Still, I find it sad that Mariah and Morgan’s relationship reached this point. And I cannot help wondering whether either sibling feels any closer to resolving their differences after all this time. Probably not.