Nicki Minaj and husband Kenneth Petty scored a legal win on Tuesday (October 20), when the $20-million default judgment case against them was denied and dropped.

Petty, who has been in and out of legal hot water, was accused some time ago, by Jennifer Hough, of sexual assault.  

After breaking her silence about the sexual assault on The Real, Hough stated that she suffered from harassment at the hands of the Pettys, who tried to force her to recant her statement. In light of that, Hough in August filed a lawsuit against the couple for witness intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, harassment, assault, battery, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.  

After the Pettys seemingly ignored the lawsuit, Hough and her legal team sought a $20-million default judgment.

But, the Pettys subsequently hired attorney Judd Burstein who requested an extension to allow time to respond to the suit.

Through Burstein, Minaj made a legal response, stating: “My failure to respond to the complaint was the product of an innocent mistake, and I ask the court to excuse the delay so that I can defend what I believe to be an entirely frivolous case which plaintiff’s counsel has brought against me in an effort to use my name to generate publicity for himself.” 

The request was denied by the federal clerk who stated that, based on court documents, Minaj had earlier responded to the suit, hiring a lawyer in her defense. However, her husband did not.  

Hough’s case stems from an incident in 1994, in which she claims she was assaulted by Kenneth Petty, who she said held her at knifepoint and raped her. He had allegedly, at a Queens bus stop, threatened her before leading her to a nearby residence where he forcibly raped her, even causing a small cut to her stomach from the weapon.