Metal musician Jeremy Wagner (Broken Hope, Earthburner, etc.) has been awarded a default judgment against renowned rock music photographer Ross Halfin in a court case.
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2024, centered on four prints of Lynyrd Skynyrd that Halfin sold to Wagner in 2018. The prints were embossed with Halfin‘s stamp, signed by him, and purported to be prints made from his original photographs. However, it was later discovered that they were not taken by Halfin.
In October 2023, Wagner found out that three of the photos were actually taken by Barry Plummer. Wagner then contacted Halfin in January 2024, informing him of the discovery and demanding a refund. Wagner also reached out to Plummer in July 2024, who confirmed in writing that the three black and white prints were indeed his work – the fourth print was taken by an unknown photographer. 
According to Wagner‘s legal representative, George Chin, Halfin failed to respond to the allegations. “In August 2024, Halfin attempted to arrange a meeting with Wagner backstage at a Metallica concert in Chicago, which Wagner declined, requesting that Halfin communicate with his legal representative instead,” Chin wrote.
“As the situation reached an impasse, Wagner instructed his attorney in Chicago to file a civil claim against Halfin for violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. The necessary papers were served to Halfin in December 2024.”
Halfin did not attend several hearings in early 2024. In a hearing on May 21, 2025, Halfin‘s attorney admitted that the facts of the case were true and that Halfin was liable for consumer fraud under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
Halfin also failed to attend a hearing on November 24, 2025, to determine the amount of damages to be awarded to Wagner. As a result, Wagner was granted a default judgment, totaling $61,241, which includes compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and costs.
