Jada Pinkett Smith Secures Over $30K in Legal Fees from Will Smith's Ex-Friend in Court Battle

Rebecca AizinThu, May 21, 2026 at 3:51 PM UTC

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Jada Pinkett Smith attends the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 13, 2022 in Los Angeles
Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty -

A judge ordered Bilaal Salaam to pay Jada Pinkett Smith over $32,000 in legal fees after a court motion

Salaam's request to reduce the payment due to financial hardship was denied as it was raised too late

The lawsuit stems from Salaam's claims of threats by Pinkett Smith, which she has publicly called "nonsense"

Jada Pinkett Smith scored a win amid her court battle with Will Smith's former friend Bilaal Salaam.

On Monday, May 18, a Los Angeles judge ordered Salaam, 56, to pay the actress $32,836 in attorney costs and other legal fees, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. The ruling comes three weeks after Pinkett Smith, 54, filed a motion requesting Salaam pay $49,181.23 for "her reasonable attorneys' fees incurred."

The court lowered the amount because some of Pinkett Smith's attorneys billed at "high hourly rates" and spent "excessive" time analyzing complaints and drafting motions despite their "significant experience" as lawyers, per the ruling.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith in France for the launch of their son Jaden Smith's Louboutin capsule collection during Paris Fashion Week on January 21, 2026
Credit: backgrid

Salaam requested a reduction in the fee award due to his "inability to pay," but the request was denied because it was raised for the first time at the hearing, rather than in opposition papers. The court did, however, consider Salaam's argument that Pinkett Smith only partially prevailed on her Anti-SLAPP motion and therefore found that "a 15% reduction is appropriate, due to Defendant's partial success."

In February, Pinkett Smith had originally asked the court to strike Salaam's complaint entirely, alleging that the lawsuit conflicts with California's anti-SLAPP statute. The state's Anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) Act "provides a procedure for weeding out, at an early stage, meritless claims arising from protected activity," per the motion.

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The protected activity included a cease and desist letter Salaam received from the Smiths, which Pinkett Smith's motion alleged Salaam publicly disclosed: "That letter was not a public statement at all. It was classic pre-litigation activity — confidential legal correspondence sent by counsel in anticipation of litigation — and is independently protected under California law."

According to an April 20 filing previously obtained by PEOPLE, Pinkett Smith "prevailed on her anti-SLAPP motion and struck all allegations relating to the public media statements that formed the basis for Plaintiff's three causes of action, as well as additional allegations regarding a cease-and-desist letter."

Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys: Ride Or Die" at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California
Credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Salaam (also known as Brother Bilaal) initially filed the $3 million complaint in December 2025, alleging that the actress confronted him in the lobby of the Regency Calabasas Commons in September 2021 and threatened him. Salaam's complaint also alleged that Pinkett Smith told him he would "end up missing or catch a bullet" if he continued "telling her personal business."

Pinkett Smith subsequently called his claims "nonsense" in a 2023 interview with The Breakfast Club. She also told TMZ that she and her husband intended to pursue legal action in response to his claims.

The next hearing for the case will take place on Aug. 19 as the court denied Salaam's request for a trial.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”