A Los Angeles judge has reportedly reinstated a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G against the city of Los Angeles and various LAPD officers which was dismissed last year.

As reported earlier, District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper threw out the lawsuit last year after Biggie's family failed to file the suit within the necessary time frame given by the court.

The lawsuit was originally filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, and then moved to federal court.

According to The Associated Press, Biggie's family appealed Cooper's decision and she reversed her earlier decision yesterday (May 8) after finding federal claims in the case.

Cooper gave Biggie's family 20 days to file a new lawsuit and drop the state claims.

B.I.G., whose real name is Christopher Wallace, was shot and killed on March 9, 1997 after a party at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Biggie's family has filed two wrongful death lawsuits against the city of Los Angeles and various LAPD officers claiming they were involved in the rapper's murder.

The first lawsuit, filed in 2002, alleged wrongful death and civil rights violations.  It ended in a mistrial in 2005.  The case remains active, with the judge allowing the family to amend the lawsuit because of newly discovered evidence.

Cooper's recent ruling involved the secondary suit, which contends that rogue police officers conspired to kill Biggie and that the Police Department covered up their involvement.