Nick Carter Gains Legal Ground in Assault Case

Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter scored a legal victory on Tuesday, 28 January, when the Nevada Supreme Court upheld a ruling allowing him to pursue a countersuit against two women who accused him of sexual assault. 

The court’s decision stemmed from allegations made by Melissa Schuman and Shannon Ruth in 2017 and 2022, respectively, whereby they claimed that Carter had assaulted them in the early 2000s.

Schuman – a former member of the girl group Dream – alleged that the 45-year-old “Larger Than Life” hitmaker had raped her in 2003, while Ruth accused him of raping her in 2001 when she was 17. 

Carter has repeatedly denied the allegations, arguing that they are unfounded and part of a conspiracy to defame him. Additionally, his legal team contended that Schuman and her father, Jerry, coerced Ruth into making false claims.

The court noted that Carter provided “ample” evidence suggesting that Schuman’s accounts had changed over time, indicating that their interactions were consensual.

“The Schumans and their co-conspirators have run out of excuses, and will finally be held accountable for their protracted campaign to defame and extort Mr Carter,” according to a statement released by Carter’s attorneys after the ruling.

A trial in district court has been scheduled for February 2026.

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