'George & Tammy' Lawsuit Against Showtime Dismissed, This Time for Good

A federal judge permanently dismissed the lawsuit against Showtime related to the series 'George & Tammy', which tells the story of country music legends George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

The lawsuit, filed in 2024, alleged that the series conveyed a "negative and disparaging portrayal" of George Richey, a songwriter and producer, and Tammy Wynette's husband after her split from Jones.

The series, released in December 2022, was well-received by critics, especially for the performances of Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, who played Jones and Wynette, respectively; both were nominated for Emmy Awards for their performances.

Sheila Slaughter Richey, widow of George Richey, filed the lawsuit in January 2024, accusing the series of portraying Richey as a "devious husband" involved in physical abuse, facilitating Wynette's drug addiction, and financial and managerial manipulation of the late country icon.

Judge Stephanos Bibas, in dismissing the lawsuit, argued that Sheila failed to meet the legal requirements to bring such a case, pointing out that the real dispute was with Georgette Jones, Tammy Wynette's daughter, who promised not to make disparaging statements about Richey in a 2019 legal settlement.

Sheila claimed the show indirectly violated a 2019 legal agreement, where Georgette Jones promised not to make disparaging statements about Richey.

Since 'George & Tammy' was a licensed adaptation of Georgette's memoir about her parents, the lawsuit argued that Showtime had been unjustly enriched by Georgette's decision to violate her agreement with Sheila.

Judge Bibas reiterated that Sheila did not demonstrate an interest in anything Showtime got from Georgette, so the lawsuit was dismissed.

Judge Bibas suggested that Sheila could have sued Georgette for breaking their agreement, but instead chose to go against Showtime due to the potential for greater compensation, as 'George & Tammy' had been a hit and Showtime had presumably profited from Georgette's breach.

Instead of suing Georgette for the damages caused by her breach, Sheila sought a larger compensation, according to the judge.

The final dismissal of the lawsuit marks the closure of the legal dispute over the representation of George Richey in the 'George & Tammy' series.

Judge Stephanos Bibas's decision underscores the importance of complying with legal requirements and demonstrating a legitimate interest in cases of unjust enrichment.