Steven Tyler is headed back to court as a decades-old legal battle moves one step closer to trial. The Aerosmith frontman is facing allegations brought by Julia Misley, who claims the rock star groomed her and became involved with her when she was a teenager in the 1970s.
The case has been winding through the courts for years. Now, a judge has ruled that part of the lawsuit can move forward, setting the stage for a jury trial in August 2026.
Steven Tyler is going to trial in August 2026 over allegations he groomed and impregnated Julia Misley
Misley filed her civil lawsuit under a California law that temporarily lifted statutes of limitations for certain historical sexual assault claims. She alleges Tyler began a relationship with her when she was 16 years old while he was in his mid-20s.
According to court filings, Misley claims the former judge of American Idol convinced her mother to grant him legal guardianship. Only so he could travel with her while Aerosmith toured. She further alleges that she became pregnant during the relationship, RadarOnline reported.
The lawsuit also references passages from Tyler’s 2011 memoir, “Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?,” in which the singer wrote about a teenage girl he called “Diana.” Misley argues the descriptions mirror her experiences and support her claims.
However, Tyler scored a partial legal victory before trial. A judge dismissed much of the lawsuit, citing statute-of-limitations issues connected to Massachusetts, where much of the alleged relationship reportedly took place. Still, the court allowed claims tied to incidents that allegedly occurred in California to proceed under the state’s legal “lookback window.”
That means a narrower portion of the case will now be heard by a jury. Tyler’s attorney, David Long-Daniels, described the ruling as a significant win for the musician. He noted that only one alleged incident remains part of the active lawsuit after the majority of claims were dismissed. Tyler has consistently denied wrongdoing and previously sought to have the entire case thrown out.
Misley’s legal team views the decision very differently. Her attorney, Jeff Anderson, said the upcoming trial offers an opportunity for a jury to hear the allegations and determine accountability.
The trial is currently scheduled to begin in August 2026.
TELL US – SHOULD CASES INVOLVING DECADES-OLD ALLEGATIONS STILL BE HEARD IN COURT WHEN NEW LEGAL PATHWAYS BECOME AVAILABLE?
