Kenneth Glad
Months of courtroom arguments have kept attention on decisions made at one of Washington’s leading arts institutions. Several separate cases have examined changes made by its leadership.
A D.C. Superior Court judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to reimburse jazz drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd for expenses from a contract lawsuit the venue brought against him.
NPR reports that Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier awarded Redd $252,479.70 in attorneys’ fees and costs. The center intends to appeal the decision.
Redd had overseen the Kennedy Center’s Christmas Eve Jazz Jam since 2006, The Associated Press wrote. He canceled his December 2025 appearance after the board voted to place President Donald Trump’s name on the institution.
Court dismisses contract case
The center responded by suing Redd. His lawyers maintained that he had no contractual obligation to perform, and The Associated Press reported that the agreement produced by the Kennedy Center had never been signed by him.
In June, the D.C. Superior Court dismissed the case with prejudice under the District’s Anti-SLAPP law. The legislation provides a mechanism for challenging certain lawsuits arising from speech or participation in issues of public concern.
After the dismissal, Redd told The Associated Press he was “very pleased with the judge’s ruling.”
Former Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell had earlier warned Redd in writing that “we will seek $1 million in damages from you for this political stunt,” according to Katz Banks Kumin, the firm representing the musician.
Separate court battles
Redd’s case has unfolded alongside other litigation over the center’s name, governance and future operations. The Associated Press reported that Congress designated the institution as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy in 1964, giving its name a specific legal and historical foundation.
In a separate May 2026 case, according to The New York Times, a federal judge found that Trump’s name had been added unlawfully and ordered the altered branding removed.
The court also temporarily stopped plans to close the Kennedy Center for approximately two years while renovations were carried out, leaving another major decision by the center’s leadership subject to judicial review.
Sources: NPR, The Associated Press, The New York Times
