Vince McMahon’s WWE lawsuit gets a new deadline from a judge

The disturbing ongoing lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE by former employee Janelle Grant has been granted a new deadline by a judge.

United States District Judge Sarah F. Russell, of Connecticut, issued important rulings in Grant’s ongoing lawsuit.

In a ruling denying Grant’s request for a status conference, Judge Russell confirmed that the legal deadlock in the case, which ran from June to December 2024, has officially ended.

The decision means Grant now has until Jan. 31 to file an amended complaint, including any new arguments or information she deems necessary.

Grant’s lawsuit, first filed in January 2024, accuses McMahon and Laurinaitis of sexual assault, physical and emotional abuse and sex trafficking, with WWE charged with facilitating the alleged wrongdoing by senior executives who reportedly knew about the relationship between Grant and McMahon. .

The defendants strongly deny all the allegations.

Judge Russell also addressed the issue of arbitration. WWE and McMahon sought to take the case to private arbitration, citing an arbitration clause in Grant’s non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with McMahon.

However, the judge has so far rejected that request, leaving the case in court. The court will review the arbitration issue after Grant files its amended complaint.

If Grant doesn’t make it by January 31, the arbitration issue will be revisited.

Grant’s legal team argued that recent developments in McMahon’s legal troubles, including his settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), underscore the need to amend their complaint.

Vince McMahon, who left his longtime position with WWE last year, will pay more than $1.7 million to settle SEC charges that he failed to report hush money payments to two women https://t.co/wkDcf0xA1C

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 10, 2025

The SEC accused McMahon of failing to disclose two settlements totaling $10.5 million that were reached with women who accused him of sexual harassment.

The SEC’s action led Grant’s lawyers to argue that McMahon’s actions further demonstrate the illegal nature of the NDA he allegedly forced Grant to sign.

According to Grant’s legal team, these new revelations show that the arbitration clause in the NDA is invalid and the case should be litigated.

The SEC charges that McMahon failed to report these calculations to WWE’s board or auditors, leading to significant distortions in the company’s 2018 and 2021 financial filings.

As part of the settlement, McMahon was required to pay a civil penalty of $400,000 and reimburse WWE approximately $1.33 million.

In light of the allegations, Grant’s attorneys issued a scathing statement calling McMahon’s actions a blatant disregard for the law, including the alleged human trafficking that is central to Grant’s claims.

They argue that McMahon’s long history of misconduct, now confirmed by the SEC, further supports their case for a full public hearing.

At the same time, Grant’s team anticipates that the ongoing criminal investigation into McMahon’s actions may yield additional evidence that could strengthen their case in civil court.

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