AceShowbiz - Andra Day secured an important legal victory on Thursday in her ongoing $1.6 million dispute with ex-manager Jeffrey Evans. A Los Angeles County judge ruled that her central claim accusing Evans of wrongfully taking $575,486 from her publishing and master recording earnings can proceed, rejecting the manager’s attempt to dismiss the civil theft allegation.

In a detailed four-page decision obtained by Rolling Stone, the judge affirmed that Day had adequately pleaded the civil theft claim, allowing it to survive initial scrutiny. The ruling also denied Evans’ request to block the possibility of triple damages, as the court found no evidence that Day delayed unreasonably in seeking enhanced recovery.

Day’s legal team, including attorneys James Sammataro and Benjamin Akley, described the outcome as a “significant win” that ensures the contested handling of her income will be examined thoroughly in court. Evans’ lawyer has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The dispute began when Day filed her lawsuit on October 7, 2025, roughly six months after her lawyers formally notified Evans and his companies, BassLine Management and Buskin Entertainment, that they allegedly owed her at least $1.6 million in misappropriated funds. Day contends that the contracts she signed with Evans were exploitative and insists their management agreement expired on June 30, 2023.

In a countermove, Evans filed his own lawsuit one day earlier, on October 6, 2025. He claims entitlement to commissions on works Day created before a 2018 contract revision. Evans points to a 2024 publishing deal Day signed with Kobalt, which has paid her over $1 million, and alleges she withheld his 40 percent commission. He asserts that Day has recouped all monies owed through that payout but now owes him commissions and royalties totaling more than $850,000.

In the judge’s ruling, Los Angeles County Judge Andrew Esbenshade highlighted that Evans admitted in a December court filing that his companies “mistakenly withheld” $575,486 owed to Day and agreed to return it. The court held that at this preliminary stage, Day had sufficiently presented a viable claim that Evans intended to permanently deprive her of those funds.

According to the lawsuit, Evans only acknowledged the alleged theft after being “caught red-handed.” Day accuses her former manager of failing to properly collect and segregate her publishing income into a separate account, while allegedly spending extravagantly at her expense. The complaint characterizes his behavior as driven by “greed” rather than the fiduciary duty he owed to his client.

The case continues to unfold, with the court now allowing the civil theft claim to move forward. The dispute underscores the complexities and tensions that can arise between artists and their management over financial dealings and contractual obligations.

As the legal battle progresses, all eyes remain on the courtroom where the handling of Day’s income and the validity of both parties’ claims will be further scrutinized.