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ASAP Rocky’s legal troubles with Terell “ASAP Relli” Ephron aren’t over just yet. Despite the Harlem rapper being found not guilty on two gun assault charges earlier in the month, he’s now facing another round in court.
On Wednesday (Jan. 26), a Los Angeles judge scheduled a Jan. 12, 2026, trial date for Ephron’s civil suit against Rocky, which had been on hold during the criminal trial proceedings. Much like the previous case, the plaintiff is claiming the rapper pulled a handgun and fired at him during a verbal dispute on Nov. 6, 2021.
“We intend to continue litigating this case. The standard in a criminal case is much higher than the preponderance of the evidence standard in a civil matter,” Melissa Mikail, Ephron’s lawyer, shared with the court, per Rolling Stone. She added, “We still believe that our claims have merit, and we intend on fully litigating them.”
Could ASAP Rocky’s Civil Lawsuit Take A Different Path Than His Criminal Trial?
There’s definitely a chance the civil suit could play out differently than the criminal case. The former has a lower burden of proof, meaning Ephron only has to show that it’s “more likely than not” that Rocky committed the alleged act — far from the “beyond a reasonable doubt” requirement that led to his acquittal on Feb. 18.
It’s also worth mentioning that at least one juror wasn’t convinced by Rocky’s “prop gun” defense. The jury pool, made up of five women and five men, had some members who “didn’t really believe it,” at least according to her: “It was kind of a little mysterious the way it disappeared, and they couldn’t produce it, you know, as evidence.”
That said, Relli’s credibility took a massive hit during the criminal trial — especially after he admitted to deleting text messages — and Rocky’s defense team will likely use that to argue against his claims again. Ultimately, it’ll all depend on how the evidence is framed come 2026.
