Tyler Perry has secured a legal victory against actor Derek Dixon, who filed a $260 million lawsuit accusing the filmmaker of sexual harassment and assault.
Dixon, an actor on The Oval, alleged that Perry used his power and influence to pressure him into unwanted sexual advances. The lawsuit was filed in California in June 2025, even though the alleged incidents took place in Atlanta, Georgia.
Perry’s legal team challenged the case on jurisdictional grounds and requested that it be moved to Georgia. The court agreed, granting the motion to change jurisdiction. A judge also ruled that the statute of limitations had expired, effectively ending the case.
According to Dixon’s own filing, the alleged harassment began in September 2019 during an event at Perry’s Atlanta studio. Under Georgia law, civil workplace sexual harassment claims must typically be filed within 180 days through the EEOC, while civil sexual assault claims generally carry a two-year limit. Dixon waited nearly six years to file.
Because the legal deadline had passed, the court determined the claim could not proceed.
Perry, who was named the highest-paid filmmaker in entertainment by Forbes in 2011, has denied the allegations. The ruling brings the case to a close unless Dixon successfully appeals.
