Blake Shelton is challenging In Touch Weekly's attempt to have his million-dollar defamation lawsuit dismissed.
The lawsuit stems from a September cover story that alleged that Shelton's heavy drinking had contributed to his and Miranda Lambert's divorce, and that he was going to rehab.
This past February, In Touch publisher Bauer Publishing Company filed a motion to strike the lawsuit, claiming that the action interferes with the publication's First Amendment rights, and that Shelton has no probability of winning the case.
In opposition papers, Shelton's lawyer, Larry Stein, argues that a "celebrity's private medical condition is not an issue of public interest."
"Contrary to Bauer's reporting, drinking has not taken a toll on my well-being," Shelton said in a declaration. "I do not now, nor have I ever had, health problems caused by or related to drinking . . . The Rehab Story is wrong that my friends, colleagues and team think I have a problem and need help. To my knowledge, nobody around me, including my managers, peers and work colleagues, and friends, thinks I have a drinking problem."
The issue returns to court on April 11.
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