A federal judge has partially ruled on Limp Bizkit's copyright lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), allowing core copyright infringement claims to proceed while dismissing state-law claims without prejudice.

The lawsuit, filed by Limp Bizkit and frontman Fred Durst in October 2024, alleges that UMG withheld millions in royalties and committed fraud, discovered after Durst hired new representatives in early 2024. The band claims they lawfully terminated their agreements with Interscope, Flawless Records JV, and Flip Records after uncovering alleged contractual violations.

Key developments in the case:

• 14 state-law claims were dismissed without prejudice
• The band's legal team plans to refile these claims in state court
• Core copyright infringement claims will proceed at the federal level
• UMG must submit a formal answer by April 7th

The dispute centers on ownership rights to Limp Bizkit's masters, which remain available on streaming platforms through UMG. The band asserts they are now the rightful owners of these recordings following the contract terminations.

Universal Music Group contests these claims, arguing that the contract rescindment was invalid and that Flip-related claims should be dismissed due to a forum-selection clause.

The judge's decision to separate state and federal claims was based on concerns about potential juror confusion due to differing legal standards. The case continues under case number 2:24-cv-08630.

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