Nick Carter Wins Court Battle Against Rape Accuser Melissa Schuman

Nick Carter scored a major legal victory on Tuesday, January 28, after the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in his favor in his ongoing defamation case against Melissa Schuman. The ruling allows the 45-year-old Backstreet Boys singer to move forward with his counterclaim against Schuman and her father, Jerry Schuman.

The court denied, for the second time, an anti-SLAPP motion filed by the Schumans, which aimed to dismiss Carter’s defamation lawsuit. According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the judges found that Carter presented enough evidence to suggest the Schumans made defamatory statements “with knowledge that they were false or with reckless disregard for their veracity.”

The Legal Battle Explained

Schuman, a former member of the early 2000s girl group Dream, first accused Carter of rape in a 2017 blog post. She claimed that he sexually assaulted her in 2003 when she was 18. Carter denied the allegations, stating that their encounter was consensual.

The legal fight escalated in February 2023 when Carter filed a countersuit against Schuman and another accuser, Shannon Ruth. He alleged that both women conspired to use the #MeToo movement to “defame and vilify” him for money and attention. Carter’s lawsuit also accused them of extortion.

Both Ruth and Schuman attempted to have Carter’s countersuit dismissed through anti-SLAPP motions, which protect against lawsuits that could silence free speech. However, judges ruled against both women—Ruth’s motion was denied in November, and Schuman’s appeal was rejected this week.

Carter Moves Forward with Defamation Suit

Following the court’s decision, Carter’s legal team celebrated the ruling, stating that Schuman and her father could no longer avoid accountability.

“The Schumans and their co-conspirators have run out of excuses and will finally be held accountable for their protracted campaign to defame and extort Mr. Carter,” his attorneys, Liane Wakayama and Dale Hayes Jr., said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Schuman filed her own lawsuit against Carter in April 2023, accusing him of sexual assault and battery over the alleged 2003 incident. Carter, in response, countersued her in August 2024 for $2.5 million, maintaining that her allegations were false and part of a publicity stunt.

What’s Next for Carter?

Despite the legal battle, Carter is staying busy. He is set to kick off the next leg of his Who I Am tour in India on February 7, with tour dates scheduled through May.