An 84-year-old woman who is suing Jermaine Jackson for sexual assault is asking a judge to order the singer to formally respond to her lawsuit, saying because there is no court-ordered stay on the case.
Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Elaine W. Mandel recently set aside a $6.5 million default judgment against Jackson, which she previously awarded on behalf of the plaintiff, Rita Butler Barrett. Barrett alleges the singer sexually assaulted the plaintiff at her home in 1988.
On May 14, Mandel granted the woman’s request for judgment against Jackson for failing to take part in the case. But the judge set aside the default judgment on June 30.
Jackson legally changed his name in February 2013 to Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun. Mandel said it was “fatal” to the default to not use the “Jacksun” name in publishing notice of the case while also noting that he had been living overseas. However, the judge denied Jackson’s motion to quash service, stating the singer had made an appearance and therefore submitted to the court proceedings by filing the motion challenging the default judgment.
According to Barrett’s attorneys’ court papers, the 71-year-old Jackson’s subsequent seeking of relief and request for a stay in the Second District Court of Appeal over the denial of the motion to quash did not put a hold on the case and the June 30 order to file a response to the plaintiff’s case is still in effect.
“A request for a stay does not itself suspend enforcement of a trial court order,” Barrett’s attorneys state in their court papers. “Defendant therefore remains obligated to comply with this court’s order.”
Until a stay is issued, Mandel’s orders remain “effective and enforceable,” the Barrett attorneys’ papers state while also noting that the case, filed in December 2023, is almost three years old and is a case “ripe” for trial given that the plaintiff is 84 years old.
“Three years have already elapsed and allowing defendant to continue to warrantlessly delay proceedings would be extremely prejudicial to Ms. Butler Barrett’s case,” Barrett’s attorneys further state in their pleadings.
Jackson stated in a sworn declaration that he never abused Barrett.
“I did not rape plaintiff,” Jackson says. “I did not sexually assault plaintiff. I deny the material allegations of the complaint, deny liability and dispute damages. I request the opportunity to defend this case on the merits.”
Jackson further says he has not lived at his mother’s Encino home, where one set of documents was served, since he was a boy and that he does not live at or have a business at the second service address in Westlake Village. Instead, he has been living in Bahrain and knew nothing about the woman’s lawsuit, he says.
In June 2025, the former judge in the case, Huey P. Cotton, granted a motion by Barrett’s attorney, Michael Reck, to perform service by publication rather than present the summons and complaint to Jackson in person.
In her lawsuit, Barrett said she met Jackson when she worked as a musician’s contractor and as a member of the Musician’s Union. Jackson allegedly went to Barrett’s home in the spring of 1988 without notice, entered and sexually assaulted her with “force and violence,” the suit filed in December 2023 stated.
A hearing on Barrett’s motion is scheduled Sept. 28.