Mötley Crüe has won a big victory in court over former guitarist Mick Mars.
A retired federal judge ruled Thursday that band members Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil could fire the founding member as officers and directors in their business affairs.
In 2023, Mars filed a lawsuit against Mötley Crüe, claiming the band was trying to drive him out of the group. According to People magazine, the removal occurred after Mars withdrew from a US stadium tour in September 2022 due to his chronic illness.
For those unfamiliar, the 74-year-old was diagnosed with spinal disease at the age of 27.
Patrick J. Walsh, a retired federal judge, ruled that band members Nikki, Tommy and Vince had the right to fire Mars as both a band member and an officer of Mötley Crüe Inc.
“Mars argues that it is immoral for him to be sidelined after being the backbone of this group for more than four decades simply because his age and AS symptoms prevented him from performing,” Walsh said. Variety.
“I am not unsympathetic to this argument, but it is not for me to pass judgment on the morality of the band’s decision in the context of this arbitration,” a judge added.
In the final ruling, the judge ordered Mars to pay back $244,000 of the advance to the band because he had missed 69 live shows.
