Blac Chyna Plans to Appeal Verdict in Kardashian Trial: Everything to Know About Her Next Steps

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Blac Chyna Plans to Appeal Verdict in Kardashian Trial: Everything to Know About Her Next Steps

Continuing the fight. After a jury ruled in favor of the Kardashian-Jenner family, Blac Chyna (real name Angela White) and her legal team announced plans to appeal the verdict in her defamation trial against former fiancé Rob Kardashian's family. In 2017, the model took legal action against the famous family when the spinoff series she and the Arthur George founder starred in, Rob & Chyna, was canceled. She was seeking more than $100 million in damages, claiming that Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner interfered with the show’s future and used their influence at the E! Network to end the series. In October 2020, Chyna's lawyer, Lynne Ciani, argued that  her client's career in reality TV was “permanently damaged” as a result of the Kardashian family’s actions. "I am so thankful that a jury will finally listen to what really happened behind closed doors — the lies that were told and the damage that was done,” Chyna tweeted in April 2022 as the trial began. "At the end of the trial, I’m going to be able to proudly tell [my children] King and Dream that I did everything I could to right the wrong that was done to me. And that, in life, it is my hope that they will be able to stand up for themselves when it matters too." While in court, Kris, Kim, Khloé and Kylie testified that Chyna had allegedly abused Rob during their relationship. The Lashed Cosmetics owner, however, denied the abuse and downplayed stories about her putting a gun to Rob’s head and putting an iPhone cord around his neck, telling the judge that she was joking during the alleged incidents. [jwplayer QX87NtSJ-zhNYySv2] In May 2022, a judge ruled to dismiss the case and Chyna will not be awarded any damages. "On behalf of Kris, Kim, Khloe, and Kylie, we want to express our appreciation to the jury," the Kardashian family’s counsel, Michael Rhodes and Michelle Doolin, said in a statement to Us Weekly on May 3. "We are also grateful for the steady hand of Judge Gregory Alarcon in making sure that this was a fair trial. The jury sent a clear message to Ms. White and her lawyer — I hope they are listening. Justice has prevailed." Chyna's attorney, however, had a different reading of the verdict in the case. "The jury found that Chyna had not physically abused Rob Kardashian, [and] the jury found that all four defendants had intentionally interfered with her contract with the E! Network,” Ciani told the Associated Press at the time. "We will appeal on the remaining questions." In a statement to Us, Ciani argued that her client had not been given a fair trial, claiming that the judge had "committed reversible error" by introducing "a highly prejudicial, punitive, and baseless jury instruction that falsely stated that Plaintiff had violated a court order regarding production of her financial records." She also argued that the judge should have stepped in when the Kardashians' counsel showed pictures of the revenge porn photos that Rob posted of Chyna while she was testifying on the stand. Keep scrolling to learn more about Chyna's appeal: [podcast_block]

Credit: Shutterstock (5)

Blac Chyna Plans to Appeal Verdict in Kardashian Trial: Everything to Know About Her Next Steps

Continuing the fight. After a jury ruled in favor of the Kardashian-Jenner family, Blac Chyna (real name Angela White) and her legal team announced plans to appeal the verdict in her defamation trial against former fiancé Rob Kardashian's family. In 2017, the model took legal action against the famous family when the spinoff series she and the Arthur George founder starred in, Rob & Chyna, was canceled. She was seeking more than $100 million in damages, claiming that Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner interfered with the show’s future and used their influence at the E! Network to end the series. In October 2020, Chyna's lawyer, Lynne Ciani, argued that  her client's career in reality TV was “permanently damaged” as a result of the Kardashian family’s actions. "I am so thankful that a jury will finally listen to what really happened behind closed doors — the lies that were told and the damage that was done,” Chyna tweeted in April 2022 as the trial began. "At the end of the trial, I’m going to be able to proudly tell [my children] King and Dream that I did everything I could to right the wrong that was done to me. And that, in life, it is my hope that they will be able to stand up for themselves when it matters too." While in court, Kris, Kim, Khloé and Kylie testified that Chyna had allegedly abused Rob during their relationship. The Lashed Cosmetics owner, however, denied the abuse and downplayed stories about her putting a gun to Rob’s head and putting an iPhone cord around his neck, telling the judge that she was joking during the alleged incidents. [jwplayer QX87NtSJ-zhNYySv2] In May 2022, a judge ruled to dismiss the case and Chyna will not be awarded any damages. "On behalf of Kris, Kim, Khloe, and Kylie, we want to express our appreciation to the jury," the Kardashian family’s counsel, Michael Rhodes and Michelle Doolin, said in a statement to Us Weekly on May 3. "We are also grateful for the steady hand of Judge Gregory Alarcon in making sure that this was a fair trial. The jury sent a clear message to Ms. White and her lawyer — I hope they are listening. Justice has prevailed." Chyna's attorney, however, had a different reading of the verdict in the case. "The jury found that Chyna had not physically abused Rob Kardashian, [and] the jury found that all four defendants had intentionally interfered with her contract with the E! Network,” Ciani told the Associated Press at the time. "We will appeal on the remaining questions." In a statement to Us, Ciani argued that her client had not been given a fair trial, claiming that the judge had "committed reversible error" by introducing "a highly prejudicial, punitive, and baseless jury instruction that falsely stated that Plaintiff had violated a court order regarding production of her financial records." She also argued that the judge should have stepped in when the Kardashians' counsel showed pictures of the revenge porn photos that Rob posted of Chyna while she was testifying on the stand. Keep scrolling to learn more about Chyna's appeal: [podcast_block]

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A Biased Judge?

In court documents obtained by TMZ on May 10, Chyna’s lawyer alleged the judge was ”undeniably hostile and extremely biased" toward her client.

The Kardashian-Jenner family’s attorney called the claims a "baseless effort to save face after losing at trial” in a statement to the outlet, adding, “Their effort to make a scapegoat of Judge Alarcon is frivolous, dishonest, and deserving of sanctions."

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The Judge Sided With the Kardashians

In May 2022, Chyna's defamation case against the Kardashian-Jenner family was dismissed. "I think the case was very clear. The jury did a great job, they got it," Rhodes told the press after the ruling. "The family was very pleased and grateful, they were exuberant. They’re happy to have this behind them."

Kris echoed those sentiments on the red carpet at the 2022 Met Gala, telling Variety: “I’m just happy it’s over. ... I live in my faith and just hope that’s enough. Yeah, I’m glad it’s over. I’m glad it’s over for the girls. We’re here to celebrate."

Credit: Bill Robles/AP/Shutterstock

Chyna Was Awarded Zero Damages

Though she sued the family for $100 million dollars in damages, the judge stated that she would get nothing as a result of the case.

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Her Lawyer Announced Plans to Appeal

After the verdict was announced, Ciani announced that she and Chyna planned to appeal the verdict, arguing that the jury found that "all four defendants had intentionally interfered with her contract with the E! Network."

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She Believes the Jury's Decision Supports Chyna

In addition to arguing that the judge did not give her client a fair trial, Ciani told Us that "the jury reached a verdict that ALL 4 defendants — Kris, Kim, Khloe, and Kylie — did not act reasonably and in good faith to protect their own economic interests in the Rob & Chyna show," and that they were "not justified with respect to Angela White’s contractual relationship with E! Network."

Credit: Courtesy of Tokyo Toni/Instagram

Her Mother is Already Raising Money

The day after the verdict's decision was announced, Chyna's mother, Tokyo Toni, launched a GoFundMe page hoping to raise $400,000 to help pay for the legal fees involved in appealing the decision. "I would like to appeal to the courts this Go Fund Me Fundraiser to help my daughter, Angela R. White BKA Blac Chyna financially in this endeavor to get justice," she wrote on the page.

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The Kardashians' Lawyer Has Released a Statement

Despite Ciani's allegations that Chyna was the victim of an unfair ruling, the Kardashian-Jenner family's lawyer expressed an "appreciation for the jury" who sided with the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alums in the case in a statement to Us, and thanked the judge for "making sure that this was a fair trial." 

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Hopes for a Fair Trial

“Angela White deserved a fair trial in a court of law and she did not receive a fair trial,” Ciani told Us in a May 2022 statement, referring to Chyna by her real name. “She remains hopeful that the Second District Court of Appeal will review the evidence and determine that Judge Alarcon must be removed from the Revenge Porn trial and also removed from ruling on any post-judgment motions in the Defamation/Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations case.”

The attorney noted that her client is “forced to file” a Writ of Mandate within the appellate court to “ensure that she receives a fair trial for her Revenge Porn claim against Rob Kardashian.” The writ would also remove the existing presiding judge from her case.