November 8th 2025.
In a recent development, a federal judge in California has made a final ruling in the long-standing paternity lawsuit against Jay-Z. The case, brought forth by Rymir Satterthwaite, has been dismissed with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be brought to court again. This marks the end of a years-long legal battle between the rapper and Satterthwaite, who claimed to be his son.
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, the judge granted Jay-Z's motion to dismiss the case. The lawsuit was originally filed by Satterthwaite, now 30 years old, through his legal guardian and paralegal, Lillie Coley. With this ruling, Satterthwaite is no longer able to make the same claim or request a DNA test from Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter.
The allegations made by Satterthwaite revolved around his late mother, Wanda Satterthwaite, and her alleged relationship with Jay-Z in the 1990s. He claimed that Carter was his father, but the 55-year-old rapper has consistently denied these allegations.
Earlier this year, Satterthwaite seemed to back down from the case, stating on Instagram that he had withdrawn it and had other matters to attend to. However, he also made it clear that he was not giving up on seeking the truth, using the phrase "we got to step back and play chess, not checkers."
Jay-Z's attorneys have called the repeated paternity claims "baseless" and stated that they have been addressed and rejected in multiple courts. They also described these new filings as the latest in a decades-long pattern of harassment.
Satterthwaite has maintained that his main intention was not to seek back child support, but rather to recover damages for "reputational and emotional distress." He also accused Jay-Z of manipulating the legal system to suppress his paternity claims.
The legal dispute dates back to the early 2000s when Wanda Satterthwaite filed a child support case in New Jersey, which was ultimately dismissed due to being filed in the wrong jurisdiction. The case resurfaced in 2014 when Satterthwaite and Coley renewed their petition.
In a 2023 interview with the Daily Mail, Satterthwaite stated, "This is not going to be over until justice is served." Jay-Z's attorney responded, saying, "The allegations have been previously reviewed thoroughly by the courts and have been refuted."
The dismissal also includes a related lawsuit filed by Satterthwaite's godmother and legal guardian, Lillie Coley, who accused Jay-Z of neglect. This case was also thrown out by U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, preventing her from bringing the same allegations again. The ruling also allows Jay-Z's legal team to seek sanctions and recover attorney's fees.
However, it seems that the legal battle may not be entirely over. According to a report from AllHipHop's Grouchy Greg Watkins, Coley has already filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This indicates her determination to continue challenging the decision. In her response, Coley stated that the new appeal will focus on "issues not previously considered" by the court, shifting her approach from a standard amendment appeal to a motion for reconsideration.
Despite the string of legal defeats, Jay-Z and his attorneys have consistently denied the claims that he is the secret father of Satterthwaite, calling them unfounded and previously rejected in multiple courts. However, Coley's latest move suggests that she is not ready to close the chapter just yet.
Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé, share three children together - Blue Ivy, 13, and twins Rumi and Sir, 8.
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