Blac Chyna vs. Kardashians trial: Lawsuit revisited as Kim Kardashian is cleared of defamation case

Blac Chyna's ongoing defamation trial against the Kardashians took a new turn on Friday as Kim Kardashian was declared not guilty by a Los Angeles court judge.

As per the documents obtained by Page Six, the court ruled that “no statement” made by Kim was “alleged to be defamatory” against Chyna.

Chyna’s team previously claimed that each defendant, including Kim, Khloe, Kylie, and Kris Jenner, played a “responsible part” in defaming Chyna. They only needed to prove the claim in court.

However, the Kardashian-Jenner family attorney requested that Kim be removed from the lawsuit. In documents obtained by People, lawyers asked the court to dismiss the claim against the KUWTK alum:

"Because [Blac Chyna] has neither identified an allegedly defamatory statement by Kim Kardashian, nor specified an instance where she ratified an allegedly defamatory statement by another party, the claim against her must be dismissed."

The attorneys also mentioned that Chyna's argument against Kim was "insufficient" to maintain the defamation claim:

"[Blac Chyna's] vague assertion on the record during [her] argument that Kim Kardashian 'ratified those statements and encouraged her sisters to make them' — without specifying how Kim Kardashian ratified them and to whom — is woefully insufficient to maintain a claim."

The documents also stated that the basis of defamation against Kim Kardashian cannot be formed by other defendants' statements as "neither her mother nor her sisters ever acted as her agent."

Chyna's legal team argued that she "has the right to a jury trial against Defendant Kim Kardashian for defamation" and said it would be "completely contrary to law" to remove Kim from the trial.

The grand jury reportedly considered several pieces of evidence, including emails and messages made by Khloe, Kylie, and Kris to network executives. However, on Friday, the court ruled that “no evidence” to prove that Kim had a “responsible part” in defaming Chyna.

Following the ruling, Kim Kardashian was cleared of the defamation claim. Despite the decision, the SKIMS founder is still partly involved in the case for alleged "intentional interference with a contract."

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A look back into Blac Chyna's defamation lawsuit against the Kardashian-Jenner family

Blac Chyna is seeking more than $100 million in a defamation lawsuit against the Kardashian-Jenner family (Image via Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Blac Chyna started dating Rob Kardashian in 2016 and welcomed a daughter, Dream, with him that same year. The duo called it quits in December 2016, only to reconcile the following year.

The pair parted ways again in February 2017. Following their split, Rob posted inappropriate photos of Chyna on social media, prompting the latter to issue a restraining order against her former partner.

Shortly after, Chyna filed a lawsuit against the Kardashian-Jenner family for "defamation and intentional interference" with her contract at the E! network. She alleged that Rob's family used their influence to cancel the second season of their reality show Rob & Chyna.

The long-awaited defamation trial began five years later, on April 20, 2022. Chyna is seeking more than $100 million for economic damages, including loss of earnings from social media posts, TV & and club appearances, and emotional distress.

During last week's hearing, Jeff Jenkins, the former co-president of Bunim-Murray and executive producer of Rob & Chyna, testified that networks including BET, VH1, Lifetime, and MTV were uninterested in moving forward with the series.

Meanwhile, Kardashian-Jenner's family attorney, Michael Rhodes, attempted to get the case dismissed last Friday, claiming that Chyna’s claims were “absurd.” He also alleged that the amount of damage mentioned in the lawsuit is based on "unsupported and wildly speculative claims."