Steven Tyler Lawsuit: Legal Win in Sex Assault Case

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has secured a partial legal victory in a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault. A Los Angeles judge has dismissed portions of the case brought by Julia Misley, but has allowed claims related to alleged abuse in California to proceed to trial, according to reporting from Yahoo Entertainment and Rolling Stone.

Misley initially filed the lawsuit in December 2022, claiming Tyler sexually abused her for years beginning in 1973, when she was 16 and he was 25. Tyler denied the allegations and argued that Massachusetts law, where the relationship began, should govern the case, as the age of consent was 16 in that state at the time.

The judge agreed to dismiss claims related to alleged abuse in Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts, citing Tyler’s argument that Massachusetts law applied to those incidents. However, Judge Young ruled that Misley’s claim of sexual abuse occurring at a hotel in California was strong enough to move forward.

“I’m completely on board with that. Even if it’s legal in Massachusetts, California has an interest in saying, ‘OK, that’s fine, but it’s illegal here. Don’t come within our borders and do it here,'”

Judge Young

According to the Yahoo Entertainment report, Misley alleges that Tyler invited her backstage at an Aerosmith concert in Portland, Oregon, in 1973, shortly after her 16th birthday. She claims she was subsequently groomed into a three-year relationship, during which Tyler became her legal guardian. Tyler acknowledged the guardianship arrangement in his 2011 memoir, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?

Misley and her legal team successfully argued that Tyler should be held accountable under the laws of each state where the alleged abuse occurred. The judge partially agreed, allowing the California-based claims to proceed. This ruling hinges on the principle that California has the right to prosecute acts illegal within its borders, regardless of their legality elsewhere.

This is not the first legal challenge Tyler has faced in relation to these allegations. In February 2024, a judge dismissed a portion of the lawsuit, citing a lack of diligence in not pursuing the case under the Child Victims Act, as reported by Reuters. However, the current ruling allows a significant portion of Misley’s claims to continue toward a potential trial.

The case continues to draw attention within the entertainment industry and raises questions about the application of state laws in cases involving alleged abuse that occurred over several years and across multiple jurisdictions. Further developments are expected as the case proceeds toward trial in California.