International artist Cardi B achieved a decisive legal victory in a lawsuit filed against her by a former security guard who demanded $24 million in damages, accusing her of physical assault in 2018 outside a gynecologist’s office in Beverly Hills while Cardi B was pregnant.

The 12-member jury in the Los Angeles Superior Court took less than an hour to unanimously rule in favor of Cardi B. The jurors concluded that the plaintiff, Imani Ellis, failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove her claims that Cardi B physically assaulted her, scratched her face with her nails, spat on her, and used racist language.

Ellis testified that she asked Cardi B to leave the building because she was “causing a disturbance.” Cardi B took the stand to defend herself, asserting that Ellis, who worked as a security guard in uniform, was the aggressor and that the incident was merely a “verbal altercation” that began when Ellis tried to invade her privacy.

According to the star’s testimony, Ellis began chasing her and attempting to film her with her mobile phone while Cardi B was heading to a medical appointment, at a time when she had not yet announced her pregnancy. Cardi B was expecting her first child with rapper Offset, with whom she later had three children.

Cardi B admitted to using profanity during the face-to-face confrontation but denied any physical contact, spitting, or use of racist language.

After the verdict, Cardi B told reporters outside the court that she would adopt a firmer approach in dealing with any baseless lawsuits in the future.