Mariah Carey is ending the year with a legal victory tied to one of her biggest hits. Months after a copyright lawsuit targeting “All I Want for Christmas Is You” was thrown out, the singer has reportedly been awarded tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. The financial outcome allegedly follows a judge’s sharp criticism of how the case was handled.
Mariah Carey reportedly won $92K in legal fees after song lawsuit dismissal
According to documents referenced in a new PEOPLE report, Carey is set to receive just over $92,000 in legal fees following the dismissal of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against her in 2023. The sanctions are reportedly to be paid by attorney Gerard P. Fox, who represented the plaintiffs behind the now-dismissed case.
The original complaint was filed by musicians Andy Stone and Troy Powers. In it, they alleged that Carey’s 1994 megahit borrowed from their earlier track, also titled “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” released in 1989 by Vince Vance & the Valiants. The pair sought $20 million in damages and claimed the songs shared notable similarities. However, earlier this year, Judge Monica Almadani concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation that Carey or her co-writer Walter Afanasieff copied their work.
As the case progressed, court filings noted concerns with Fox’s approach. A judge stated that some of the arguments raised were “legally irrelevant.” Moreover, a motion filed by Fox during the proceedings was described in the ruling as improper. According to the documents, the sanctions were meant both as a consequence and a deterrent against similar future filings. In total, Fox has reportedly been ordered to pay over $109,000 across all defendants, including Carey.
A musicologist retained during the case, Dr. Lawrence Ferrara, assessed the two songs and concluded they were fundamentally different. Any shared themes, he explained, were common holiday tropes widely used in Christmas music before either song was released.
Meanwhile, Carey’s version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” remains as culturally dominant as ever. This season, the track hit several new milestones, including extending its record on the Billboard Hot 100 and surpassing two billion streams on Spotify.
