Stevie Wonder is asking a California court to evict a woman who has lived in one of his Los Angeles properties for nearly 40 years, following a dispute over access to the home for an insurance inspection.

The legendary singer, 76, filed a complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on October 22, 2026, seeking to end an arrangement that allegedly allowed Carmen Efferson to occupy the property without paying rent since 1988.

According to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, the arrangement began with a verbal agreement between Wonder, whose legal name is Stevland Hardaway Morris, and Efferson. The dispute reportedly escalated this summer after the singer’s attorneys asked her to allow an insurance company’s inspector to enter the property.

Efferson has been described by Rolling Stone as Wonder’s former fiancée, although the complaint focuses on the living arrangement and the alleged refusal to permit the inspection.

The disagreement over the property

The legal filing details a series of communications between Efferson and Wonder’s attorneys concerning access to the house.

According to an email attached to the complaint, Wonder’s legal team informed Efferson on July 23 that an insurance inspector would need access to the property on July 30. The stated purpose was to conduct an inspection necessary to maintain insurance coverage.

The complaint alleges that Efferson responded two days later, objecting to the proposed visit. She reportedly said she felt harassed and did not consent to the inspection.

In a subsequent email, Efferson warned the attorneys against entering the property without her permission, according to the filing. She also stated that she would contact law enforcement if they or their representatives attempted to enter.

Wonder’s attorneys allegedly issued a 30-day notice requiring Efferson to vacate the property the following day. According to the complaint, she remained in the home after the notice was issued.

The filing characterizes her continued occupancy as malicious, an allegation that has not been established by a court ruling.

What Stevie Wonder wants from the court

Wonder’s legal team is asking the court to terminate the verbal agreement that allegedly permitted Efferson to live in the property.

The complaint also seeks reasonable attorney fees and statutory damages connected to what the filing describes as her continued wrongful possession of the home.

The case centers on the longstanding living arrangement and the disagreement over the insurance inspection. The filing does not establish that the court has granted Wonder’s request to evict Efferson, and the dispute remains a legal matter rather than a resolved eviction.

PEOPLE reported that representatives for both Wonder and Efferson were contacted for comment but had not immediately responded at the time of publication.

Wonder, a multiple Grammy Award winner known for classics including Superstition, Isn’t She Lovely and Part-Time Lover, has maintained a decades-long career in music. His latest legal dispute, however, concerns a private property arrangement that allegedly dates back to the late 1980s.

After almost four decades, the future of Efferson’s occupancy now rests on the outcome of the court proceedings.

Source: Compiled from various sources.