By A Los Angeles judge has denied Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner‘s motion to keep portions of their 2023 sex tape settlement with Ray J sealed from public view — a significant legal setback for the Kardashian-Jenner family.
The ruling, filed on March 30 and first reported by Rolling Stone, marks the latest development in a messy and long-running legal dispute between Kardashian and her former partner.
What the Judge Decided
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven A. Ellis rejected the motion to seal filed by Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner. In his ruling, Judge Ellis found that the pair had failed to produce any concrete evidence showing that public disclosure of the settlement terms would cause them harm.
The judge described their claims as “too vague, speculative, amorphous, and unsupported” to justify a sealing order. The only exception granted was a partial redaction of a bank account number included in the settlement documents.
Representatives for Kardashian, Jenner, and Ray J had not responded to press requests for comment as of publication.
Why Kardashian and Jenner Wanted Secrecy
Earlier in March, Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner filed a motion arguing that making portions of the deal public “would cause substantial harm to the Kardashians’ privacy interests.” They also cited what they called a public policy interest in protecting the confidentiality of private settlement agreements.
Judge Ellis was not persuaded. His ruling makes clear that general privacy concerns, without specific and supported evidence of harm, are not enough to justify sealing court records.
The decision means that key terms of the 2023 settlement between Kim Kardashian and Ray J are now part of the public court record.
The Legal Battle with Ray J — A Timeline
The dispute between Kim Kardashian and Ray J, whose legal name is William Ray Norwood Jr., stretches back over two decades. The pair dated in the early 2000s and appeared together in a sex tape recorded in 2003. Vivid Entertainment released the tape in 2007, claiming it obtained the footage legally from a third party.
The tape’s release came just weeks before Keeping Up With the Kardashians premiered on E! — a timing that has fueled controversy and speculation for years.
In October 2025, Kardashian and Kris Jenner sued Norwood for defamation. They accused him of fabricating claims that the women should be investigated under federal racketeering laws, alleging the move was designed to harass them while reviving his own public profile.
The following month, Norwood countersued. According to People, he alleged that Kardashian and Jenner breached the terms of a reported $6 million sex tape settlement by discussing the tape on their Hulu series The Kardashians.
The sealing motion — now rejected — was part of that broader ongoing litigation.
Kim Kardashian’s Sworn Denial
In a sworn declaration filed in March, Kim Kardashian directly addressed Norwood’s most serious allegations. She denied any involvement in planning or orchestrating the release of the sex tape.
“His claim that I had a plan with my mother and others to release a sex tape, defraud the public, and file a ‘fake’ lawsuit against the porn company that released it to ‘create buzz’ is a lie,” Kardashian wrote in the filing. She went on to state that her family is “not part of a criminal enterprise” and has not engaged in or profited from racketeering activity, as Norwood’s legal team has claimed.
Ray J’s lawyer has previously called Kardashian’s position “perjury,” signaling that both sides remain deeply at odds with each other — and that this legal battle is far from over.
What Happens Next
With the sealing motion denied, the settlement terms between Kim Kardashian and Ray J are now accessible through public court records. Legal analysts will be watching closely to see whether the newly disclosed terms fuel further claims from either side in the ongoing litigation.
Both the defamation lawsuit filed by Kardashian and Jenner and Norwood’s countersuit remain active. No trial date has been publicly confirmed.
Kim Kardashian has continued to maintain her position publicly. Kris Jenner has not made separate public statements on the ruling.
The case is being closely watched by entertainment and legal media alike, given the high-profile nature of the parties and the significant financial and reputational stakes involved.
Hashtags
#KimKardashian #KrisJenner #RayJ #KardashianNews #CelebrityLegal
