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Judge Tosses Lawsuit Over Eagles' Handwritten Lyrics
27 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Don Henley won a legal dispute concerning stolen Hotel California lyric drafts.
- A dealer sued Henley and his manager for malicious prosecution.
- The court dismissed the dealer's lawsuit against the rock icon.
Musician Don Henley of The Eagles has won a significant legal victory in a case involving allegedly stolen lyric drafts of the band's famous song, "Hotel California." The legal entanglement began when rare books dealer Glenn Horowitz was among those accused of trying to sell over 100 pages of handwritten lyrics by Henley and Glenn Frey.
Although the initial criminal case was dropped, Horowitz subsequently filed his own lawsuit against Henley and his manager, Irving Azoff. Horowitz claimed malicious prosecution and intentional infliction of emotional distress, asserting that his possession and sale of the lyrics were lawful. He alleged that Henley and Azoff acted improperly in pursuing the matter.
However, Judge Kathleen Waterman-Marshall recently dismissed Horowitz's lawsuit, finding his claims lacked merit. Henley's legal team praised the decision, calling Horowitz's suit the only malicious prosecution. Horowitz's lawyer stated they are appealing the ruling and pursuing a separate malicious prosecution suit against the city of New York.
