*Mariah Carey has been awarded $92,303.20 in legal fees following the dismissal of a copyright infringement lawsuit over her iconic holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
As PEOPLE reports, the case, filed in November 2023 by Andy Stone and Troy Powers, accused Carey and co-writer Walter Afanasieff of copying their 1989 song of the same name, which was performed by the group Vince Vance & the Valiants. The plaintiffs sought $20 million in damages and a jury trial, but a judge dismissed the case in March, citing insufficient evidence that Carey had copied the earlier song.
On December 23, Judge Monica Almadani ordered the award of legal fees to Carey, payable by attorney Gerard P. Fox, who represented Stone and Powers. The judge cited Fox’s “numerous legally irrelevant arguments” and noted that the sanctions were intended “for purposes of punishment and deterrence.”
Court filings criticized Fox for violating a bifurcation order and filing a motion for summary judgment deemed “improper and frivolous.” Fox has 90 days to pay Carey and the other defendants a total of $109,983.20.
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*Every holiday season, Carey’s 1994 hit becomes the inescapable soundtrack to festive gatherings. More than three decades after its release, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” continues to earn the singer between $2.5 million and $3 million in annual royalties, according to estimates from Forbes and The Economist, making it one of the most lucrative holiday tracks ever.
The Christmas anthem achieved a historic milestone in 2021, receiving the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Diamond Award for reaching 10 million sales and streaming units in the U.S.—the first holiday song to do so.
Carey shared a photo of herself with the award on social media, captioning it, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend ????❤️.”
Reflecting on the honor, she said, “The continued love for my song never ceases to amaze me and fill my heart with a multitude of emotions. It blows my mind that ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ has endured different eras of the music industry. The RIAA DIAMOND award?! Wowww! I’m so fortunate to have the greatest fans on Earth, my Lambily, who continue to support my legacy. I love you.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Judge Indicates Desire to Dismiss Copyright Lawsuit Against Mariah Carey Over ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’
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