A Los Angeles judge has shut down influencer Sabrina Peterson’s latest attempt to bring back her defamation lawsuit against T.I. and Tiny Harris, marking another setback in a long and messy legal fight that began four years ago.

Judge Michael Shultz ruled Friday that Peterson’s motion to reinstate her 2021 complaint failed to meet the legal standard for “excusable neglect,” emphasizing that she hadn’t shown valid grounds to undo the court’s prior dismissal.

Peterson first sued the married musicians in 2021, claiming that they defamed her after she publicly accused T.I., whose legal name is Clifford Harris, of pointing a gun at her. She also alleged that the couple’s denials of those accusations damaged her reputation and caused emotional harm.

The case quickly became bogged down in procedural problems. Peterson changed lawyers multiple times, missed key court appearances, and, according to the defense, failed to pursue discovery or move the case forward in any meaningful way. In March 2025, after years of stagnation, Judge Shultz dismissed the suit, also noting that Peterson had not paid any portion of the $96,000 in attorney’s fees previously awarded to the Harrises.

In her bid to reopen the case, Peterson argued that her former attorneys had been ineffective and that their missteps, missed deadlines, lack of filings, and poor communication caused the dismissal. She asked the court to give her a chance to continue under new representation.

Lawyers for T.I. and Tiny urged the court to deny the request, saying Peterson’s problems were of her own making. They described a pattern of neglect that included repeatedly firing legal teams, ignoring court orders, and failing to meet basic procedural requirements.

In his written order, Judge Shultz agreed with the defense, finding that Peterson had not provided sufficient evidence that her former counsel’s actions justified overturning the dismissal. “Plaintiff has not demonstrated that she is entitled to relief from the judgment,” the ruling stated.

Following the decision, Peterson’s new attorney, Keita T. Middleton, called the outcome a miscarriage of justice. “It’s unfortunate for me to have to clean up a mess not caused by myself or Ms. Peterson,” Middleton said, adding that her client intends to appeal the ruling to a higher court.

Despite the setback, Peterson’s legal battle with the Harrises is far from over. On the same day her state lawsuit was dismissed in March, she was served with a separate federal defamation complaint filed by T.I. in Los Angeles.

In that ongoing federal case, T.I. alleges that Peterson defamed him through a series of Instagram posts from September 2024 that falsely claimed he was under federal investigation for sex trafficking alongside another celebrity. He says the statements were knowingly false and intended to damage his career.

Peterson has denied the allegations and filed her own counterclaims for defamation and abuse of process. In an amended filing submitted in October, she accused T.I. of smearing her reputation by asserting that she had illegally marketed cannabis products without a state license through her business, Pretty High Co. Peterson maintains that she held a valid license at the time and that the accusations were fabricated to discredit her.

The federal case is scheduled to go to trial in June 2026, ensuring that the dispute between Peterson and the Harrises will continue well into next year.