Kesha v. Dr. Luke

Kesha v. Dr. Luke refers to a series of lawsuits and countersuits between the singer Kesha Rose Sebert (Kesha) and the music producer Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald (Dr. Luke). Sebert filed a civil suit against Gottwald in October 2014 for infliction of emotional distress, sex-based hate crimes and employment discrimination. Gottwald filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court in which he sued Sebert and her mother, Rosemary Patricia "Pebe" Sebert, for defamation and breach of contract.

Gottwald has denied all of the allegations. In the legal documents filed in support of his defamation suit against Sebert, he claims that Sebert and her mother made "defamatory statements in an attempt to extort Gottwald [Dr. Luke] into releasing Kesha from her exclusive recording agreement". This New York lawsuit resulted in the staying of a California lawsuit where Kesha claimed Dr. Luke was guilty of sexual harassment, misogyny, civil harassment, violation of California's laws against unfair business practices, infliction of emotional distress (both intentional and negligent), and negligent retention and supervision. In her New York counter-claim, Kesha alleges that Dr. Luke "sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally" abused her since the beginning of their professional relationship. The suit alleged he drugged and raped her on two occasions, made threats against Kesha and her family, and called her derogatory names.

On February 19, 2016, Kesha's request for a preliminary injunction was denied. Kesha appealed the decision the following month. On April 6, 2016, New York Justice Shirley Kornreich, whose husband is an attorney at a law firm with representatives such as Sony (Kesha’s record label), dismissed all of Kesha's counter-claims against Dr. Luke. Kesha and her legal team appealed the injunction decision, and on June 7, 2016, Kesha was recorded in a deposition stating all the allegations' details.

On June 22, 2023, Kesha and Dr. Luke released a joint statement saying they have reached a settlement.