Bad Bunny has secured a partial legal victory in the $40 million lawsuit filed by his former girlfriend, but the case is not over just yet. Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court dismissed claims connected to one song while allowing other portions of the dispute to move forward.
As spotted on TMZ, the court “affirmed in part and reversed in part” an earlier decision involving claims brought by Carliz De La Cruz Hernández. De La Cruz alleges that she recorded the now-famous phrase “Bad Bunny, baby” on her phone in a bathroom in 2015. The recording was later featured on Bad Bunny’s 2017 track “Pa Ti” and his 2022 song “Dos Mil 16.”
She claims the distinctive voice tag was used without her permission and filed the lawsuit in 2023 seeking at least $40 million for alleged violations of her image and moral rights, along with damages. According to TMZ, all claims connected to “Pa Ti” were dismissed because they were filed after the applicable legal deadline had expired. That portion of the ruling gives Bad Bunny a significant win and removes one of the songs at the center of the complaint from the case.
However, the Puerto Rican superstar is not completely in the clear. Some of De La Cruz’s remaining claims may proceed beyond the preliminary dismissal stage, including allegations tied to the use of the recording on “Dos Mil 16.” The surviving portions of the case will return to Puerto Rico’s Court of First Instance for further litigation.
De La Cruz previously claimed that she and Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, came up with the phrase while they were dating and before he became one of the biggest recording artists in the world. She also alleges the audio was used during live performances without a written agreement or her authorization.
The two reportedly began dating in 2011 while working together at a supermarket in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Their relationship ended in 2016, shortly before Bad Bunny’s career began taking off internationally. Neither Bad Bunny nor his legal team has publicly commented on the latest ruling. While getting the “Pa Ti” claims dismissed represents a victory, he will still have to defend himself against the portions of his ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit that remain active.