Daryl Hall accuses John Oates of ‘ultimate partnership betrayal’ in new legal filings

(CNN) — Famed pop-rock duo Daryl Hall and John Oates of Hall & Oates are in the midst of a legal battle, and new accusations are coming to light.

In new legal documents filed on Wednesday and obtained by CNN, Hall accuses Oates of engaging in “the ultimate partnership betrayal” when he “surreptitiously sought to sell” half of Whole Oats Enterprises LLP’s assets without seeking Hall’s approval.

Whole Oats Enterprises LLP holds rights to Hall & Oates’ trademarks, personal name and likenesses, royalty income and certain social media and related website assets, according to the filing.

Hall claims in a declaration filed Wednesday that Oates “falsely” contended his desire to maintain ownership in Whole Oats Enterprises LLP.

As a result, Hall claims the “bad faith conduct” by Oates has created “tremendous upheaval, harm, and difficulty in my life, not to mention unnecessary expense and burden,” according to Hall’s declaration.

Oates also filed a responsive declaration on Wednesday, in which he claims Hall’s accusations “are not true,” according to a copy of the filing also obtained by CNN.

Last week, Hall filed a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Oates in Nashville’s chancery court citing a “contract/debt” dispute, according to court records.

CNN previously reported the court granted Hall’s motion for the TRO on Friday, but the case was sealed at the time leaving the nature of the allegations unknown until this week’s new legal filings.

The two musicians have a decades-long history as the eponymous rock duo Hall & Oates. They first met in the 1960s in Philadelphia, and according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, had 29 Top Forty hits from 1976 to 1990.

They saw tremendous success in the early 1980s with hits like “Private Eyes” and “Maneater.”

CNN’s Andy Rose contributed to this report.

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