When Phoebe Bridgers accused Sound Space recording studio owner Chris Nelson of “grooming, stealing, [and] violence” in a 2020 Instagram post, he fired back the following year by suing her for defamation. He sought $3.8 million from Bridgers in damages, with his legal team asserting that she was trying to end the Los Angeles producer’s career by doubling down on her “vendetta” against him. On Wednesday, a Los Angeles judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the singer-songwriter’s claims are protected by the First Amendment.

The original Instagram post by Bridgers was in support of Nelson’s ex, Emily Bannon. She wrote, “I witnessed and can personally verify much of the abuse (grooming, stealing, violence) perpetuated by Chris Nelson.”

Earlier this year, she filed a motion for the lawsuit’s dismissal by citing California’s anti-SLAPP laws. Bridgers wrote the following in a sworn statement: “I believe that the statements I made in my Instagram story are true. My statements were made based on my personal knowledge, including statements I personally heard Mr. Nelson make, as well as my own observations.”

When she appeared in front of LA Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin in August, he suggested that he would most likely toss out the lawsuit. When he followed through on this yesterday, one of Bridgers’s representatives shared this statement:

We feel vindicated that the court recognized this lawsuit as frivolous and without merit. It was not grounded in law, or facts, but was filed with the sole intention of causing harm to our client’s reputation and career. This victory is important not just for our client but for all those she was seeking to protect by using her platform. (Stereogum)

Bridgers has yet to comment on the ordeal.

Photo Credit: Kalyn Oyer