Diddy Court Case Update: Appeals Court Hears Bid to Vacate Sentence, New Lawsuit Filed

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal battles are far from over, even as he serves out his sentence at FCI Fort Dix. This week brought two significant developments: a high-stakes appeals court hearing that could dramatically shorten his time behind bars, and a fresh lawsuit accusing him of decades-old sexual assault.

The Appeals Court Hearing

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, Combs’ attorneys appeared before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, asking judges to either vacate his 50-month prison sentence entirely or order his immediate release. At the centre of the appeal is a genuinely novel legal question — one a member of the appellate panel described as a “question of first impression, not only for this court, but apparently for any federal court of appeals in the country.”

The core issue involves a 2024 update to federal sentencing guidelines that restricts how judges can factor in conduct a jury specifically acquitted a defendant of when determining a sentence. Combs was convicted only on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act, while being acquitted of the far more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges he originally faced. His legal team argues that Judge Arun Subramanian’s sentencing decision improperly relied on conduct tied to those acquitted charges — the argument now before the Second Circuit. The three-judge panel has not yet issued a public ruling.

This appeal follows a notably fast-tracked schedule: back in November 2025, Circuit Judge Beth Robinson granted Combs’ legal team’s request for an expedited appeal — a decision seen at the time as a rare win for his defence, potentially setting up his release as early as this coming spring if the appeal succeeds.

A New Lawsuit Surfaces

Separately, and also this week, a former child actor filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of sexual assault at a Hollywood Hills event back in 2007 — the latest in a long line of civil claims that have piled up against him alongside the criminal case. It underscores that even as Combs fights to reduce his prison time, the civil litigation stemming from decades of allegations shows no sign of slowing down.

Where Things Stand Overall

To recap the broader picture: Combs was convicted in 2025 following an eight-week trial that centred heavily on testimony from his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who testified about a $20 million settlement reached after her original 2023 lawsuit accusing him of abuse. He was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison and fined $500,000, with an anticipated release date of April 15, 2028, should his current sentence stand.

Combs has also seen mixed fortunes on other legal fronts recently. In April 2026, a New York judge dismissed his $100 million defamation lawsuit against NBCUniversal over the documentary “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy,” with the judge noting his reputation was already too “tarnished” by prior lawsuits, press coverage, and the criminal indictment for the documentary to have caused additional harm. And just last month, Combs was involved in a physical altercation with a fellow inmate at Fort Dix, resulting in a stint in solitary confinement — a reminder that his day-to-day reality behind bars remains turbulent even as his legal team fights his conviction on paper.

What Happens Next

With the Second Circuit yet to rule on whether Combs’ sentence should be vacated or whether he should be released outright, and a new civil lawsuit now added to the pile, the coming months are likely to bring further significant developments. A ruling in his favour on the acquitted-conduct sentencing question could see Combs released well ahead of his current 2028 date — a outcome his legal team has been visibly working toward since securing the expedited appeal schedule nearly a year ago.