Judge sanctions Kanye West for missed deposition, orders the rapper to sit for another by April 30

Kanye West was sanctioned by a judge for missing a deposition in the discrimination lawsuit brought forth against him by a former employee. The rapper, who now goes by Ye, was ordered by a Superior Court judge on Thursday to sit through another deposition on April 30.

Should Ye fail to do so, it would culminate in a default judgment. The case is one of more than six filed against him, and was brought forth by former employee Trevor Phillips.

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Everything to know about the litany of lawsuits against Kanye West

Per the outlet, Ye has been inconsistent with his lawyers, triggering them to quit on him. However, his latest attorney, the LA-based Eduardo Martorell, suggested that the deposition be held on April 30. When probed by Superior Court Judge Thomas Long if the lawyer was sure his client would show up on that date, Martorell conceded he was not. Describing the proceedings in the court, Court House News reported:

"So you came to this hearing," Judge Long said, "and you came here without authority to agree to any particularly date? Is that what you’re telling me?"

To this, Martorell, appearing remotely, replied:

"My client is not that reachable, Your Honor."

He added that he had just been hired by the rapper, and that Kanye West had been without legal representation for a while. The attorney is representing Ye in four different lawsuits, all of which were brought forth by the same law firm, Shegarian & Associates.

In this case, Kanye West must now pay $2,560 in sanctions, and the judge said:

"If April 30 comes and goes and no deposition, I’m not going to [be] interested in another discovery order."

He warned that the next step would be to let Phillips win the case by way of default judgment.

Blast has reported that the rapper has also been hit with another deposition for April 29, in the lawsuit brought forth against him by former Black employee Benjamin Deshon Provo. Attorney Martorell represents Ye in this case, too.

Per the outlet, Kanye West has now been ordered to physically sit down for the deposition, as opposed to any online alternative. The deposition stems from Provo's accusations of racial discrimination and harassment against West, who is a self-proclaimed Na*i.

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Per In Touch, Provo had been trying to get Ye deposed for months, to no avail. In response, the former employee suggested that the rapper be sanctioned, prompting the judge to schedule the in-person deposition for April 29. Provo was also granted sanctions totaling $500, which Ye will have to pay in the next 30 days.