Editing Nevermind (section)

=== Spencer Elden lawsuits ===
In August 2021,<ref>{{cite news |title=Spencer Elden, the baby from Nirvana's Nevermind album cover, sues alleging child exploitation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-25/baby-from-nirvana-nevermind-album-cover-sues-band/100406408 |website=ABC News |date=August 25, 2021 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=August 25, 2021 |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825090431/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-25/baby-from-nirvana-nevermind-album-cover-sues-band/100406408 |url-status=live }}</ref> Elden filed a lawsuit against Weddle, Cobain's estate, Grohl and Novoselic, claiming that the use of his likeness on the album cover was made without his consent or that of his legal guardians, that it violated federal [[child pornography]] statutes,<ref>{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Geordie |title=Nirvana sued by the baby from 'Nevermind' for child pornography |url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/nirvana-sued-by-the-baby-from-nevermind-for-child-pornography |website=Tone Deaf |publisher=Brag Media |access-date=August 25, 2021 |date=August 25, 2020 |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825095148/https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/nirvana-sued-by-the-baby-from-nevermind-for-child-pornography/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and that it resulted in "lifelong damages".<ref name="Minsker 2021">{{cite web |last=Minsker |first=Evan |title=Nirvana Sued by Baby From Nevermind Album Artwork for Child Pornography |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/nirvana-sued-by-baby-from-nevermind-album-artwork-for-child-pornography/ |website=Pitchfork |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=August 25, 2021 |ref=Minsker 2021 |date=August 24, 2021 |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825030301/https://pitchfork.com/news/nirvana-sued-by-baby-from-nevermind-album-artwork-for-child-pornography/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Elden said that, by refusing to censor the artwork with a sticker, Nirvana had failed to protect him from child sexual exploitation.<ref>{{cite web |last=DeVille |first=Chris |title=The Nevermind Baby Sues Nirvana, Calling The Album Cover Child Pornography |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2158591/the-nevermind-baby-sues-nirvana-calling-the-album-cover-child-pornography/news/ |website=Stereogum |publisher=Scott Lapatine |access-date=August 25, 2021 |ref=DeVille 2021 |date=August 24, 2020 |archive-date=August 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825030258/https://www.stereogum.com/2158591/the-nevermind-baby-sues-nirvana-calling-the-album-cover-child-pornography/news/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The lawsuit also stated that "Cobain chose the image depicting Spencer—like a sex worker—grabbing for a dollar bill that is positioned dangling from a fishhook in front of his nude body with his penis explicitly displayed".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Man Photographed as Baby on 'Nevermind' Cover Sues Nirvana, Alleging Child Pornography|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/man-photographed-baby-nevermind-cover-025606515.html|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=www.yahoo.com|date=August 25, 2021 |language=en-US|archive-date=August 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825160444/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/man-photographed-baby-nevermind-cover-025606515.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Elden vs Nirvana Complaint|url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21048958-elden-v-nirvana-complaint|access-date=August 26, 2021|website=www.documentcloud.org|language=en-US|archive-date=August 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826185413/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21048958-elden-v-nirvana-complaint|url-status=live}}</ref>

Attorney Jamie White criticized the lawsuit as "frivolous" and "really offensive to the true victims" of [[child sexual abuse]]. Fordham Law School professor James Cohen said the context of the cover did not suggest pornography. White and Cohen concluded that Elden intended to make money with the lawsuit.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 26, 2021|title=Legal experts trash 'child porn' claim over Nirvana 'Nevermind' album cover|language=en-US|work=New York Post|url=https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/legal-experts-trash-child-porn-claim-over-nirvana-album-cover/|access-date=August 28, 2021|archive-date=August 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829063358/https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/legal-experts-trash-child-porn-claim-over-nirvana-album-cover/|url-status=live}}</ref> In December, lawyers for the defendants sought to dismiss the lawsuit, saying it was filed too late and that its claim that the image depicts sexual abuse was "not serious". They noted that Elden had "spent three decades profiting from his celebrity as the self-anointed 'Nirvana Baby{{' "}}, having reenacted the artwork several times, and that he had the album title tattooed on his chest. They argued that the cover instead "evokes themes of greed, innocence, and the motif of the [[cherub]] in western art".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Beaumont-Thomas|first=Ben|date=December 24, 2021|title=Nirvana seek to dismiss sexual abuse lawsuit concerning ''Nevermind'' cover|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/24/nirvana-lawsuit-nevermind|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en}}</ref> After Elden's lawyers did not file an opposition, the lawsuit was dismissed by a judge on January 3, 2022. However, the judge did allow for future lawsuits.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 4, 2022|title=Nirvana ''Nevermind'' baby cover artwork lawsuit dismissed|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/04/nirvana-nevermind-baby-cover-artwork-lawsuit-dismissed|access-date=January 4, 2022|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en}}</ref>

Elden refiled again on January 14, 2022, amending the original suit by removing charges of child sex trafficking while arguing it was child pornography.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 14, 2022|title=Nirvana baby refiles lawsuit over ''Nevermind'' album cover|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59993244|access-date=January 14, 2022|website=[[BBC News]]|language=en}}</ref>  On September 2, 2022, a judge ruled against Elden, saying he had waited too long to file the suit and cited a 10-year [[statute of limitations]] from the date the plaintiff becomes an adult at age 18, meaning Elden needed to file before he turned 28 (around 2019). In addition, the judge blocked any additional filings in the future, bringing the case to a "final" close at the district court level.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=September 3, 2022 |title=Nirvana Wins 'Nevermind' Baby Lawsuit as Judge Dismisses Case for Final Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nirvana-wins-nevermind-baby-lawsuit-dismissal-1234586628/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=September 3, 2022}}</ref> On September 6, 2022, Elden appealed the dismissal of his case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Ninth Circuit heard oral argument on Elden's appeal on October 18, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eslinger |first=Bonnie |date=October 18, 2023 |title='Nirvana Baby' Urges 9th Circ. To Revive His Child Porn Suit |url=https://www.law360.com/media/articles/1734288 |access-date=October 19, 2023 |website=www.law360.com |language=en}}</ref> The court ruled in favor of Elden in December 2023, reversing the lower court's ruling and allowing the suit to continue. The court determined that the special republication of the album on its 30th anniversary constituted a new claim that Elden could pursue in court.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/nirvana-lawsuit-baby-album-cover-revived-appeals-court-1235563626/ | title = Nirvana Must Face Child Porn Lawsuit Over Naked Baby On 'Nevermind' Album Cover, Appeals Court Rules | first = Bill | last = Donahue | date = December 21, 2023 | accessdate = December 22, 2023 | magazine = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] }}</ref>