Tiffany Haddish received about $100,000 in legal fees from a former friend, Trizah Morris, who accused the comedian and her crew of defamation.
Haddish dismissed Morris’s allegations, according to court documents that In Touch obtained. A judge ruled that Morris had no case against Haddish and awarded the comedian $95,198.
Morris filed a defamation lawsuit against Haddish and another comedian Aries Spears in August 2023. Morris stated in the case, which was submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court, that she was acquainted with Haddish from 2011 to 2020. She claimed that Haddish became like a family member to her two kids and that they performed together in comedy clubs.
According to Morris, the lawsuit against Haddish and Spears in 2020 was filed by her now-adult children. Her children claimed that the comedians utilized them in improper and sexually explicit sketches.
Haddish and Spears denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the case was a shakedown attempt. Morris’ daughter dropped the lawsuit in September 2022.
Morris’ complaint, which was filed a year after her children’s lawsuit was dropped, claimed that the lawyer for her former friend had defamed her when she and her kids were feuding.
Her lawsuit read, “On or about September 2022, Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears, respectively, and/or their representatives, respectively, … gave permission to publish defamatory, slanderous, and libel comments to the press, news media, and social media outlets about Trizah Morris that were published world-wide.”
Her lawsuit added, “The statements made against Trizah Morris are malicious, defamatory and slanderous representation of Trizah Morris.”
According to Morris’ complaint, “Aries Spears alleged that Trizah Morris was an extortionist and shakedown artist.” She said Haddish and Spears’ representatives made it appear as if she had extorted them through the lawsuit filed by her children. “Trizah Morris never extorted or attempted to extort Tiffany Haddish and/or Aries Spears,” according to her lawsuit.
She also criticized Haddish and Spears’ teams for saying things like “nothing but a shakedown.”
Haddish’s attorney, Andrew Brettler, also told TMZ that the plaintiff’s mother, Morris, has been attempting to make these false allegations against Haddish for a number of years.
He added, “Every attorney who has initially taken on her case — and there were several — ultimately dropped the matter once it became clear that the claims were meritless and Ms. Haddish would not be shaken down. Now, Ms. Morris has her adult daughter representing herself in this lawsuit. The two of them will together face the consequences of pursuing this frivolous action.”
According to Morris’ lawsuit, the accusations against her have harmed her reputation.
Her suit read, “Trizah Morris’ name and photograph appeared in blogs and media reports available all over the world as the cunning, conniving, deceitful ‘ex-friend’ of Tiffany Haddish.”
According to Morris, the alleged false charges caused her to suffer both personally and professionally. Haddish replied that as part of the case her children filed, Morris signed a settlement agreement.
The comic said that a year after the contract, which addressed all disputes between the parties, Morris attempted to claim she was defamed before the deal was signed.
Haddish contended that Morris’ agreement specified that arbitration would be used to settle all disputes. In November 2023, the court granted the actress’s request to keep the matter out of the public spotlight.
The arbitrator concluded that Morris’ signed settlement agreement dismissed Haddish from all claims, therefore Morris was unable to file a defamation lawsuit. Haddish was awarded $95,000 in legal fees from Morris, and Spears received $50,000.
The initial settlement agreement was submitted in court. According to the agreement, Haddish and Spears never gave Morris or her kids any money. Instead, a mutual friend intervened.
Haddish had previously worked as a volunteer at that mutual friend’s comedy camp, which the adult children had attended. The friend consented to pay $232,000 in all.
