MÖTLEY CRÜE Claims Victory In Legal Battle With MICK MARS 'The Band Has Been Fully Vindicated'

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MÖTLEY CRÜE says that it has won "a decisive victory" against former guitarist Mick Mars, resulting in "a final arbitration award that rejects every claim Mars made against the band and orders him to pay damages back to the group." According to a press release issued by MÖTLEY CRÜE's attorney, Sasha Frid of Miller Barondess, LLP, "the arbitrator's ruling not only vindicates the band contractually and financially but also dismantles the public narrative Mars promoted in interviews with major outlets."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. Only six months later, however, he filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

According to Frid, the arbitrator, the Honorable Patrick Walsh (Ret.),ruled entirely in favor of MÖTLEY CRÜE, confirming that Mars forfeited any right to touring revenue when he chose to stop touring — a rule Mars himself reportedly demanded and wrote into the band's governing agreement in 2008. That amendment explicitly provides that any member who stops touring does not share in touring income.

Despite that agreement, Mars later demanded to continue receiving 25% of touring revenue in perpetuity while no longer performing. The arbitrator flatly rejected that position. The final award also upheld the band's decision to terminate Mars as an officer and director for legal cause and ordered him to repay more than $750,000 in unrecouped tour advances. After accounting for the value of Mars's shares, the final award results in a net judgment in favor of MÖTLEY CRÜE.