Nick Carter’s defamation lawsuit survives appeal, will continue against sexual battery accuser

Nick Carter's defamation counterclaim against Shannon Ruth will proceed after Nevada Supreme Court denies her appeal.

Nick Carter’s legal battle continues as a Nevada court permits his defamation counterclaim against Shannon Ruth to proceed. Ruth, who accused the Backstreet Boys singer of raping her in 2001, had her appeal denied by the Nevada Supreme Court on November 26, 2024. Ruth, who initially filed the lawsuit in 2022, claimed Carter assaulted her when she was 17, but Carter has consistently denied the allegations. His legal team contends that it would have been “impossible” for the incident to have occurred, citing various inconsistencies in Ruth’s account.

In the latest legal development, Judge Nancy L. Allf ruled that Ruth failed to provide sufficient evidence to support her anti-SLAPP motion against Carter’s defamation claims. The court concluded that Ruth had not specifically addressed the statements on which Carter's counterclaims were based, allowing the case to proceed.

Carter’s counterclaim, filed in February 2023, accuses Ruth and another woman, Melissa Schuman, of attempting to defame him using the #MeToo movement to gain attention and extort money. In Ruth’s original lawsuit, she alleged sexual battery, emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress, while Carter’s team has presented evidence to dispute her claims, including testimonies from several witnesses, security personnel, and fans who were present at the concert where the alleged assault took place. Carter’s defense also argues that Ruth's memory of key details is unreliable.

The court's decision to allow Carter’s defamation suit to move forward adds another chapter to the ongoing legal drama surrounding the singer, who has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women. Carter continues to deny all allegations, seeking a summary judgment to dismiss Ruth’s claims altogether.