Kanye West: Judge shot down ex-lawyers newspaper ads move
Former lawyers of Kanye West have to provide further proof of the step's approval.
Kanye West's constant dodging to his former attorneys forced them to seek newspaper ads for the announcement of dropping him.
However, the federal judge could not be impressed by the unusual step and instructed them to try a bit longer and harder.
According to Reuters, Judge Analisa Torres rejected the request for now by lawyers from Greenberg Traurig to take such drastic measures to sever ties with West formally.
The federal judge added that more proof was required to allow Greenberg to approve the newspaper ads step.
She also suggested going for "private investigators" to track the star.
The judge extended the firm to Feb. 15 deadline to either successfully serve notice on Kanye or provide more convincing proof to green-light the newspaper plan.
Meanwhile, the law firm defended the move saying it has "exhausted all methods" of contacting West, but the judge is not yet convinced.
"The court finds that GT has not provided sufficient facts to support its conclusion that personal service is impracticable," Judge Torres wrote. "GT's latest attempts… do not indicate diligent efforts at attempting to locate Ye."
Greenberg has been trying for months to get in touch with the disgraced rapper to inform him that its lawyers will no longer be repped due to his blatant antisemitism.
Judge Torres already approved the law firm's withdrawal.
However, federal litigation rules and legal ethics require attorneys to serve clients personally in a personal capacity with formal notice of withdrawal.
Earlier, the law firm requested that the star was engaged in "deliberate avoidance and obstruction," including ditching his previous representatives and changing his phone number. Faced with that obstinance, Greenberg's lawyers asked earlier this month to let them notify him by mail – or to simply print the notice in public newspapers.
"Given Ye's public status, publication of the withdrawal order will likely garner significant media attention, resulting in broader publication and provide an even greater likelihood of apprising Ye of the Order," the Greenberg lawyers wrote in making the unusual request.