ENTERTAINMENT

Justin Bieber 'thumbing his nose' at Nashville court, lawyers charge

Dave Paulson, and Nate Rau
The Tennessean
FILE - In this March 19, 2013, file photo, singer Justin Bieber performs during a concert at Bercy Arena in Paris. Canadian police say the pop star has been charged Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014, with dangerous driving and assault after a collision between a minivan and an ATV led to a physical altercation in southwestern Ontario. Ontario Provincial Police say that the incident happened Friday afternoon, Aug. 29, near Bieber's hometown of Stratford and that he was released on a promise to appear in court Sept. 29.

Lawyers traveled from Nashville to California to meet with Justin Bieber in court — but they were told the pop star was too ill to show up.

They’re not convinced the singer was truly sick, as videos surfaced online of him "chugging beer," in their words, just hours before.

Now they’re asking him to come to Nashville next month for a new court date, "as he has thumbed his nose at this Court, the lawyers involved...and the judicial system."

Bieber and electronic dance producer Skrillex were accused in a lawsuit last year of copyright infringement for their song “Sorry.” According to the lawsuit, Bieber and Skrillex used a vocal riff written by Casey Dienel, who performs under the name White Hinterland. Dienel also traveled to California from Boston for the court date.

Bieber was supposed to be deposed on Feb. 8 in California, according to Thursday’s filing by Dienel’s attorney Howell O’Rear.

“Justin Bieber is not above the law,” Dienel’s lawyers argued in their filing. “Justin Bieber knowingly and in bad faith failed to appear at his scheduled, agreed upon deposition on Feb. 8, 2017 in Santa Monica, California.”

Dienel argued in her filing that this is not the first time Bieber skipped out on a planned deposition. According to the most recent filing, Bieber also no-showed for a deposition in the lawsuit that pitted Bieber and Usher against a singer Devin “De Rico” Copeland and songwriter Mareio Overton. That lawsuit was later dismissed.

Dienel's lawyers also point out Bieber's social media activity.

"Hours after skipping the deposition, Defendant Bieber posted pictures on his Instagram page toasting a drink with friends – implicitly celebrating that he has violated the law, the respect for this Court, and the respect for all the parties and counsel who flew to California to accommodate Defendant Bieber."

“Defendant Bieber’s flagrant delay tactics, past sanctions for similar conduct, refusal to reschedule, coupled with his social media campaign, warrants the Court to impose Rule 37(d) sanctions against Defendant Bieber, most importantly an order requiring Defendant Bieber to appear in Nashville, Tennessee for his deposition on March 2, 2017,” Dienel argued in Thursday’s filing.

The plaintiff also requested an official warning to Bieber that if he fails to appear for another deposition, the Court would be able to enter summary judgement – awarding the plaintiffs the case.

The proposed new date in Nashville would fall between Bieber’s tours of Mexico and Australia.

Some of the defendants in the lawsuit are represented by Nashville attorney Robb Harvey, who also represents The Tennessean.

The Tennessean has reached out to Bieber's attorney Tim Warnock for a comment.