Mariah Carey has secured a timely legal victory in the ongoing saga of her Christmas song lawsuit, receiving £68,342 ($92,303) in sanctions after a copyright claim over "All I Want for Christmas Is You" was dismissed. The award, ordered by a US federal judge, compensates the singer for costs incurred defending against what the court deemed a baseless suit.
Filed by songwriters Andy Stone and Troy Powers, the action alleged Carey's 1994 hit copied their 1989 track of the same name, but it failed to convince the bench. Carey faced a £14.8 million ($20 million) demand for purported infringement, but the lawsuit collapsed in March 2025 due to insufficient proof, leading to sanctions totalling £81,433 ($109,983) against the plaintiffs' side.
Origins of the Dispute
The friction traces back to November 2023, when Stone, performing as Vince Vance, and co-writer Powers initiated proceedings in a Los Angeles federal court. Their complaint centred on Carey's perennial holiday favourite, asserting it lifted substantial elements from their country tune, which saw modest success on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart in the early 1990s.
They pointed to shared phrasing and structure, claiming over 50% overlap in composition. This was not the first clash; a similar lawsuit surfaced in 2022 but was voluntarily dropped five months later without resolution. Stone's 1989 song, recorded with Vince Vance & the Valiants, gained radio play during the 1993 festive period, just before Carey's version emerged.
Despite the timing, experts note such titles and themes are commonplace in seasonal music, hardly a surprise given the genre's conventions. The plaintiffs sought a jury trial and hefty damages, but their evidence fell short from the outset.
Court's Ruling and Sanctions
US District Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani dismissed the case in March 2025, ruling that alleged similarities—such as romantic holiday motifs—were generic and unprotected by copyright. The decision echoed prior rejections of comparable claims against the song.
Following the dismissal, Carey's team pursued sanctions against the plaintiffs' attorney, arguing the suit imposed needless burdens. On 23 December 2025, the judge agreed, ordering payment for 'needless expenses responding to frivolous legal arguments and unsupported factual contentions'. Carey received the bulk, with additional sums going to co-defendants like Sony Music, Kobalt Publishing, and co-writer Walter Afanasieff—totalling just under £81455 ($110,000).
The ruling aims to deter future meritless filings, a common judicial tool in intellectual property disputes. Neither side has commented publicly, though the order stands as final unless appealed.
Impact on Carey's Festive Legacy
Beyond the courtroom, 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' remains untouchable, having sold over 16 million copies worldwide since its 1994 release. It first topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, propelled by streaming, and has held the summit for a record 20 weeks across multiple years. This enduring popularity underscores why such lawsuits arise, yet courts consistently affirm its originality.
TMZ highlighted the win on X, noting Carey 'may have some extra Christmas cash this year' after the sanctions order.
Mariah Carey may have some extra Christmas cash this year ... because the judge who dismissed a lawsuit filed against her over her popular Christmas song just ordered the folks who dragged her to court to pay her more than $92,000 in sanctions.
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 24, 2025
Read more: https://t.co/OjTc8r5jdp pic.twitter.com/3WtJdFj99n
The resolution caps a protracted episode in the Mariah Carey Christmas song lawsuit narrative, freeing the track to soundtrack holidays unencumbered. As of 26 December 2025, it continues charting strongly, a testament to its seasonal resilience amid resolved legal hurdles.
