Rob Kardashian won a round in court Friday when a judge found he was not properly served with a lawsuit that alleges he and ex-girlfriend Blac Chyna defamed and bullied Chyna’s ex-boyfriend on the Internet.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Draper granted a motion by Kardashian’s lawyers to quash the service of the summons and lawsuit filed by Pilot Jones in October 2017. The plaintiff’s’ lawyers maintained a process server brought the court papers to a Woodland Hills company, Boulevard Management, that she believed was where Kardashian received mail.
Jones’ suit maintains Kardashian and Chyna defamed and harassed him under the false belief that he had released to the celebrity media in October 2016 a photo of Chyna and the plaintiff kissing when they were a “friendly/close relationship.” Fearing that he could be harmed, Jones moved from Los Angeles to Louisiana with his family, the suit states.
Chyna, now 30, and Kardashian, now 31, were a couple at that time, had a daughter in November 2016 and broke up a month later.
The Jones complaint and summons were handed to a receptionist at the Ventura Boulevard firm under substitute service, according to his lawyers.
However, Kardashian’s lawyers maintained the receptionist was not authorized to received the court papers on his behalf and the judge said he agreed with their position.
“Jones’ argument does not adequately support a conclusion that the Woodland Hills address is Kardashian’s business, residence or mailing address,” Draper wrote.
Attorney Thomas Maciejewski told Draper it has been difficult trying to personally serve Kardashian and Chyna, prompting the judge to reply that it should not be hard to find someone as well-known as Kardashian.
The judge granted Maciejewski’s request for 60 more days additional time to serve Chyna.
Maciejewski said after the hearing that Friday’s rulings do not affect the status of the lawsuit and that it will move forward after Kardashian and Chyna are served.