A California judge has partially dismissed a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Will Smith, marking an early legal victory for the actor as the case moves forward.

In a ruling dated May 5, the court granted Smith's demurrer to several claims made by violinist Brian King Joseph.

A demurrer is a legal move that argues a complaint does not contain enough facts to support a case under the law.

The judge agreed that parts of Joseph's complaint were legally insufficient and allowed him 30 days to file an amended version.

According to People, the ruling focused on claims connected to an incident in Las Vegas during Smith's "Based on a True Story: 2025" tour.

Joseph had alleged that someone entered his hotel room without permission while he was traveling with the tour in March 2025.

However, the judge said those allegations were not directly tied to sexual misconduct by Smith.

The court also rejected Joseph's claim that Smith played a role in his alleged termination from the tour. According to the ruling, the accusation was "conclusory and unsupported" by the facts included in the complaint.

Joseph first filed the lawsuit in December in Los Angeles Superior Court against Smith and Treyball Studios Management, Inc.

In the filing, Joseph accused the actor of "grooming and priming" him for future sexual exploitation after inviting him to join the international tour in late 2024.

Will Smith Denies Claims in Ongoing Lawsuit

The complaint described what Joseph called a "traumatic series of events" during the tour.

He claimed he returned to his hotel room and found unusual items inside, including a handwritten note that read, "Brian, I'll be back...just us," along with several personal belongings that he said did not belong to him.

Joseph also stated in the lawsuit that he feared "an unknown individual would soon return" to engage in sexual acts with him, Yahoo reported.

Days before filing the complaint, he posted an Instagram video explaining why he decided to speak publicly about the matter. In the video, he said people should not be "blamed or shamed or threatened" for reporting workplace safety concerns or alleged misconduct.

Smith has strongly denied the accusations since the lawsuit became public.

In a statement released in January, attorney Allen B. Grodsky said the claims against the actor were "false, baseless, and reckless" and would be challenged through all available legal channels.

Tags
Will Smith, Lawsuit, Sexual Harassment