Jada Pinkett Smith is formally responding in court to a $3 million lawsuit filed by Bilaal Salaam, a man who claims he was once a close friend of Will Smith. According to court documents, Jada is asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety.
As previously reported in our coverage of the ongoing legal battle involving the Smith family, the case stems from allegations that date back to 2021. In her latest filing, Jada argues that the claims made against her are without merit and should not proceed in court.
According to the documents, the lawsuit was filed in November 2025. Bilaal Salaam is seeking $3 million in damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress. However, Jada maintains that the case is baseless and legally insufficient.
Jada Pinkett Smith Seeks Dismissal of $3 Million Lawsuit
In court filings, Jada Pinkett Smith directly addressed the lawsuit brought by Bilaal Salaam. She is asking the court to throw out the complaint entirely. Specifically, her legal team argues that the claims lack factual support and legal standing.
The “Girls Trip” star said all of Bilaal’s claims were “false, uncorroborated and made to generate attention as part of an ongoing public campaign of harassment directed at” her and her family.
Additionally, Jada said Bilaal’s lawsuit seeks to punish her for her “constitutionally protected speech on a matter of intense public interest about her family.” According to the filing, she also accused Bilaal of having a fixation on the Smith family. Furthermore, she claimed she did not mention Bilaal’s name when speaking publicly about the matter.
Her response emphasizes that public commentary about her family falls within protected speech under the law. Therefore, her legal team argues that the lawsuit attempts to improperly penalize her for exercising that right.
Details of Bilaal Salaam’s $3 Million Emotional Distress Claim
As previously reported, Bilaal Salaam filed the lawsuit in November 2025. In his complaint, he claimed that he had been a close friend of Will Smith for approximately 40 years.
According to the lawsuit, Bilaal alleged that Jada approached him in September 2021 at a birthday party. He claimed she threatened him, stating that if he continued “telling her personal business,” that he would end up “missing or catch a bullet.”
In addition, Bilaal alleged that Jada demanded he sign a non-disclosure agreement to prevent him from discussing the alleged threats. He further claimed that the conflict began after he refused to assist Will with “crisis management” following the 2022 Academy Awards incident involving Chris Rock.
For reference, the incident occurred during the 94th Academy Awards, where Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock on stage.
Bilaal initially demanded $3 million in damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress. However, Jada’s legal filing states that she believes he is not entitled to any damages. Instead, she is asking the court to dismiss the complaint and require Bilaal to cover her legal fees.