Attorneys handling the Drake vs. Universal Music Group defamation appeal are asking to slow things down for the holidays. After the case was initially put on the expedited calendar for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, both legal teams have now requested a temporary pause.
Under the current schedule, Drake’s team was expected to file their opening brief by Dec. 22, with UMG’s response due Jan. 26, 2026. But in a new filing submitted the day before Thanksgiving, lawyers on both sides asked to push things back by roughly a month. Under the proposed timeline, Drake’s brief would be due Jan. 21, 2026, UMG’s response on Mar. 27, and Drake’s final reply on Apr. 17.
The request cites a few reasons for the slowdown. First, the lawyers note they’ll be “traveling to see their families for the upcoming holidays.” Second, they’re juggling other major cases — including Drake’s lead lawyer Michael Gottlieb, who is also helping Blake Lively in her legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
The third reason: both sides want more time to gather amicus briefs. These are filings submitted by individuals or organizations not directly involved in the case but who have a strong interest in the outcome.
Because “[t]his is a high-profile case bearing on issues of public interest such artistic expression and the scope of defamation law for public figures,” the document argues that many voices will likely want to weigh in.
Drake is appealing the dismissal of his lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 smash “Not Like Us,” which a federal judge said includes lyrics that “explicitly accus[e] Drake of being a pedophile.”
Drake’s lawyers also argue that Kendrick made “specific and unequivocal threats of violence” in the track, which have left the five-time Grammy winner “in a reasonable fear of physical harm.”
