The Associated Press reports that RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson has won a round in a lawsuit claiming that he and his son were roughed up by deputies while being ejected from a black-tie New Year's Eve party at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Naples, Fla.

A federal appeals court says a lower court judge in Florida was wrong to dismiss a negligence claim by Lifeson's son against the hotel and the security manager on duty at the time of the Dec. 31, 2003 altercation.

However, an 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld the dismissal of the rest of the claims by Lifeson and his son — including the contention that the Collier County deputies violated their civil rights by using excessive force.

Tasers were used on Lifeson, whose real name is Alex Zivojinovich, and his son, Justin Zivojinovich. Lifeson's nose was broken.