The $7 million lawsuit won by Wendy Williams’ ex-husband was overturned

Kevin Hunter, the former husband of Wendy Williams, has lost a court case.

The court revoked the former talk show host’s ex-husband’s prior victory in his ongoing lawsuit against the producers of “The Wendy Williams Show.”

In 2023, Kevin Hunter, Wendy Williams’ ex-boyfriend, and producers Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus sued Debmar-Mercury, the show’s production firm.

Because the higher court sided with Wendy Williams’ show producers, her ex-husband lost out.

A previous court victory for him was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on April 8. By siding with the producers, the appeals court overturned the lower court’s ruling that had rejected their motion to have the lawsuit dismissed. 

The higher court’s decision was based on a prior judgment that defined “marital status,” stating that it refers to a person’s marital status rather than their particular relationship with another individual.

The higher court observed that Hunter’s claim of termination was related to his marriage to Williams and not to his marital status in general. 

Though the previous ruling to reject the producers’ motion has been reversed, In Touch announced that the case has been sent to the lower court for additional hearings.

Inside the Lawsuit Filed Against the Producers by the Former Talk Show Ex

Hunter filed a lawsuit in 2023, alleging that he was unlawfully fired from his role as executive producer of “The Wendy Williams Show” after Williams filed for divorce in 2019. 

Despite his important contributions to the show’s success, he claimed that his dismissal was unfair and based only on his marital status. 

The star’s ex also claimed responsibility for important aspects of the show, such as well-liked segments like Shoe Cam and Hot Topics, in his case. He claimed that he oversaw a number of important backstage operations and had a role in marketing plans and guest reservations. 

He subsequently demanded $7 million in damages, claiming that the producers had broken New York law by ending his contract because he was getting divorced.

Hunter and his legal team were accused by the show’s producers of misinterpreting New York law.

Debmar-Mercury and individual producers denied any wrongdoing after Hunter’s complaint. Hunter and his legal team’s interpretation of New York law was also disputed by the defendants.

The defendants argued that while the legislation forbids discrimination based only on an employee’s marital status, it does not cover discrimination related to a particular person’s marital status.

The producers contended that since Hunter’s marriage to Williams is not legally protected, his claims ought to be rejected. But a federal judge decided in September 2023 that Hunter’s lawsuit may go on.

The judge observed that his claims of being fired because he was getting a divorce from Williams were sufficient grounds for a claim of discrimination based on marital status.

Additionally, the court stated that these claims were covered under the law. The producers then filed an appeal when the judge rejected their plea to have the case dismissed.

Hunter was asked to return a six-figure sum by Williams’ attorney.

Williams’ guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, filed a lawsuit last year alleging that Hunter was “unjustly enriched” after their divorce, according to The Blast.

After their marriage ended, Morrissey asked that Hunter refund $112,000, which she said he had overpaid. She asks the court to issue a gag order to stop Hunter from speaking about the issue in public and requests interest on the money in addition to the repayment.

According to Morrissey’s complaint, Hunter was also accused of receiving three months’ worth of excess severance payments after “The Wendy Williams Show” stopped paying Williams in October 2021, even though his payments continued until January 2022. 

The guardian thinks that Williams’ account’s “autopay” payments are what led to this predicament. 

The provisions of their settlement agreement, according to her, stated that his payments were to cease if Williams’ income dropped below double her yearly wages as of February 1, 2020. She says these payments are in violation of that agreement. 

The court filings also emphasize how Hunter has obstructed Williams’ access to her legitimate property by keeping the overpayment money.