What Is the Tyler Perry Lawsuit?
The Tyler Perry lawsuit is actually two separate civil cases accusing the media mogul of sexual harassment and assault, not a class action or multidistrict litigation. Each case has one plaintiff, a former actor who worked on a Perry production, and names Perry personally as a defendant alongside one or more of his production companies.
Derek Dixon, who appeared on 85 episodes of Perry's BET drama "The Oval," filed the first case on June 13, 2025, in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking at least $260 million in damages. Mario Rodriguez, who had a minor role in Perry's 2016 film "Boo! A Madea Halloween," filed the second case on December 25, 2025, also in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking at least $77 million and separately naming distributor Lionsgate as a defendant.
Perry denies every allegation in both cases through his attorneys. Neither case has settled, been dismissed, or gone to trial as of this writing, and no court has ruled on the merits of either set of claims.
“This case arises from a sustained pattern of workplace sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation perpetrated by Tyler Perry, a powerful media mogul, against Plaintiff Derek Dixon, a professional actor and screenwriter. Mr. Perry took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon.”
Source: Derek Dixon v. Tyler Perry, TPS Production Services, LLC, and And Action, LLC, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Case No. 25STCV17235, Complaint (June 13, 2025)
Why Was the Tyler Perry Lawsuit Filed?
The Tyler Perry lawsuits were filed because two men who separately worked on Perry productions allege he used his industry power to pursue unwanted sexual contact with them, then retaliated or offered career incentives tied to their compliance. Dixon's complaint says Perry "took his success and power" to create what it calls "a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic," while Rodriguez's complaint describes a similar pattern of "repeated unwanted sexual advances" over several years.
Dixon's complaint alleges Perry met him at an industry event in 2019, cast him in "The Oval," then began sending sexually explicit text messages and, on multiple occasions, physically groped and attempted to force himself on Dixon. The complaint alleges Perry tied Dixon's character's survival on the show, and a promised raise and greenlit pilot, to Dixon's tolerance of the advances, and that a drunken Perry apologized by phone the day after one alleged assault while in the same call promising Dixon "we're gonna do your show."
Rodriguez's complaint alleges he was first approached in 2014 by a trainer at a Los Angeles gym who said Perry wanted to discuss a role, leading to his casting in "Boo! A Madea Halloween." The complaint describes alleged incidents at Perry's Los Angeles home in 2016, 2018, and 2019, including unwanted touching, and alleges Perry gave Rodriguez $5,000 on multiple occasions after the encounters. Rodriguez has said he decided to file suit after learning of Dixon's earlier case.
What Harms Does the Tyler Perry Lawsuit Allege?
The Tyler Perry lawsuits allege ten distinct legal claims between the two complaints, several shared across both cases. Each is defined in plain language below. Perry denies all of them, and no court has ruled on any of these claims as of this writing.
Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
Quid pro quo sexual harassment is a legal claim that a person with power over someone's job conditioned a benefit, like a promotion or a role, on that person tolerating unwanted sexual conduct.
Dixon's complaint alleges Perry tied Dixon's career advancement, including a promised pilot and a raise, to Dixon tolerating escalating sexual advances, a claim brought under California Government Code section 12940(j).
Sexual Battery
Sexual battery is a legal claim for intentional, offensive sexual contact made without the other person's consent, brought here as a civil claim separate from any criminal charge.
Both complaints allege sexual battery. Dixon alleges Perry forcibly groped him on multiple occasions; Rodriguez alleges Perry touched him inappropriately during visits to Perry's home, including on at least one occasion described in the complaint as an attempt to unbuckle his pants.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault, as a civil claim, alleges non-consensual sexual contact or an attempt at such contact, allowing a plaintiff to seek monetary damages independently of any criminal proceeding.
Both complaints allege sexual assault arising from the same incidents described under sexual battery, pleaded as a related but legally distinct claim in each case.
Workplace Harassment and Gender Violence
Workplace gender violence is a California statutory claim (Civil Code section 52.4) for violence or threats of violence against someone based on their gender, filed alongside general work-environment harassment claims.
Dixon's complaint pairs a general work-environment sexual harassment claim with a workplace gender violence claim, alleging the same underlying conduct occurred while Perry controlled Dixon's employment, compensation, and creative opportunities on "The Oval."
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Intentional infliction of emotional distress is a legal claim that a defendant's extreme and outrageous conduct intentionally or recklessly caused someone severe emotional harm.
Both Dixon and Rodriguez plead intentional infliction of emotional distress alongside their assault and battery claims, each alleging the conduct caused lasting psychological harm beyond the physical incidents themselves.
Retaliation
Retaliation, under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), is a claim that an employer punished someone professionally for opposing or reporting harassment.
Dixon's complaint alleges Perry's production retaliated against him professionally after he resisted or failed to fully reciprocate Perry's advances, including allegedly never producing a pilot Dixon had been promised.
What Is the Current Status of the Tyler Perry Lawsuits?
The current status of the Tyler Perry lawsuits is that both remain in pretrial litigation, with no settlement, dismissal, or trial date set in either case as of this writing. Each case is proceeding on its own separate docket.
Derek Dixon v. Tyler Perry, TPS Production Services, LLC, and And Action, LLC
Dixon filed this case in Los Angeles Superior Court on June 13, 2025, pleading ten causes of action. The case has reportedly since been moved toward federal court, according to subsequent reporting, though it was originally filed in state court.
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles (originally filed) |
| Case Number | 25STCV17235 |
| Filed | June 13, 2025 |
| Plaintiff | Derek Dixon |
| Defendants | Tyler Perry, TPS Production Services, LLC, And Action, LLC |
| Amount Sought | At least $260 million |
| Status | Active pretrial litigation as of this writing |
Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, called the claims fabricated and said Perry "will not be shaken down," telling People the allegations will "fail" once tested in court.
Mario Rodriguez v. Tyler Perry and Lionsgate
Rodriguez filed this second, separate case in Los Angeles Superior Court on December 25, 2025, naming both Perry and film distributor Lionsgate as defendants.
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles |
| Filed | December 25, 2025 |
| Plaintiff | Mario Rodriguez |
| Defendants | Tyler Perry, Lionsgate |
| Amount Sought | At least $77 million |
| Status | Active pretrial litigation as of this writing |
Perry's attorney, Alex Spiro, called the suit "nothing but a $77 million dollar money grab scam," and said it was brought by "the very same lawyer" involved in Dixon's earlier case. Lionsgate had not publicly responded to the claims against it as of this writing.
Did Tyler Perry Settle Either Lawsuit?
No. Neither Tyler Perry lawsuit has settled as of this writing, and both remain in active pretrial litigation.
Dixon is seeking at least $260 million and Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million, but those figures are the amounts demanded in each complaint, not awards, verdicts, or settlement figures. Only a court or a negotiated settlement can set an actual payout, and neither has happened in either case as of this writing.
Perry's attorneys have publicly characterized both lawsuits as attempts to extract a settlement rather than legitimate claims, calling Dixon's suit a "scam" and Rodriguez's a "money grab," which signals Perry's team is not treating either case as a near-term settlement candidate.
Latest Tyler Perry Lawsuit Updates
Tyler Perry lawsuit updates track two separate, ongoing cases rather than one consolidated proceeding. The most recent development is the December 2025 filing of the second lawsuit.
Full Tyler Perry Lawsuit Timeline
Mario Rodriguez Files a Second Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Perry
Mario Rodriguez filed a $77 million lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress tied to his 2016 work on "Boo! A Madea Halloween," also naming distributor Lionsgate as a defendant.
Perry's Attorney Calls the Rodriguez Lawsuit a "Money Grab Scam"
Alex Spiro, representing Perry, issued a statement calling Rodriguez's lawsuit "nothing but a $77 million dollar money grab scam," days after newly surfaced text messages between Perry and Rodriguez became public.
Derek Dixon Files a $260 Million Lawsuit Against Perry
Derek Dixon filed the first lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. 25STCV17235, pleading ten causes of action including quid pro quo sexual harassment, sexual battery, and retaliation tied to his work on "The Oval."
Perry's Attorney Denies Dixon's Allegations as Fabricated
Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, told reporters the Dixon lawsuit's allegations are false and that Perry "will not be shaken down," predicting the claims would fail once tested in court.
How Has Tyler Perry Responded to Both Lawsuits?
Tyler Perry has denied every allegation in both lawsuits through his attorneys, characterizing each case as an attempt to extract money from him rather than a legitimate claim.
In the Dixon case, Perry's attorney Matthew Boyd said the lawsuit comes from "an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam," adding that Perry "will not be shaken down." In the Rodriguez case, attorney Alex Spiro called the suit "nothing but a $77 million dollar money grab scam" and noted it was brought by the same lawyer who represented Dixon.
Dixon's complaint cites Perry's own net worth, roughly $1.36 billion according to the filing, alongside his lucrative partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Network, as context for the power imbalance the lawsuit alleges. Neither case has produced a court ruling on the underlying facts as of this writing.
Are There Other Lawsuits Involving Tyler Perry?
Yes. Several other cases involve Perry, Perry's companies, or his productions, and are legally distinct from the Dixon and Rodriguez sexual assault lawsuits covered on this page.
Aimee Allison, founder of the nonprofit She the People, sued Perry, Netflix, and actress Terri J. Vaughn over the title of Perry's Netflix sketch series "She the People," alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition rather than any personal misconduct by Perry. A separate case reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution involves a man accused of stalking Perry who filed his own lawsuit seeking millions, an unrelated dispute in the opposite direction, with Perry as the alleged victim rather than the defendant. Neither of these cases involves allegations of sexual harassment or assault, and neither should be confused with the Dixon or Rodriguez litigation described above.
| Case | Subject | Perry's Role | Reported Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Dixon v. Perry (this page) | Sexual harassment and assault, $260M sought | Defendant | Active pretrial litigation |
| Mario Rodriguez v. Perry and Lionsgate (this page) | Sexual assault and battery, $77M sought | Defendant | Active pretrial litigation |
| Aimee Allison v. Perry, Netflix, Vaughn | Trademark dispute over "She the People" | Defendant | Reported pending; outcome not confirmed on this page |
| Stalking-related lawsuit (reported by AJC) | Suit filed by a man accused of stalking Perry | Alleged victim | Reported pending; outcome not confirmed on this page |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tyler Perry lawsuit about?
The Tyler Perry lawsuit actually refers to two separate civil cases, filed by Derek Dixon in June 2025 and Mario Rodriguez in December 2025, both alleging Perry used his industry power to make unwanted sexual advances toward them on productions they worked on.
Is the Tyler Perry lawsuit a class action?
No. Both the Dixon and Rodriguez cases are single-plaintiff civil lawsuits, not class actions or multidistrict litigation, and there is no recruitable class of claimants to join for either case.
Has Tyler Perry settled either lawsuit?
No. Neither the Dixon nor the Rodriguez lawsuit has settled as of this writing, and both remain in active pretrial litigation with no trial date set.
How much money is being sought in the Tyler Perry lawsuits?
Derek Dixon is seeking at least $260 million and Mario Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million, though both figures are demands stated in the complaints, not awards or settlement amounts.
Has Tyler Perry been criminally charged over these allegations?
No criminal charges tied to either the Dixon or Rodriguez allegations are confirmed on this page; both matters are civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages, not criminal prosecutions.
Are the Dixon and Rodriguez lawsuits the same case?
No. They are two separate lawsuits filed six months apart by different plaintiffs over different productions, though Rodriguez has said learning about Dixon's case influenced his decision to come forward.