Another major update on the legal battle involving Janel Grant and her lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis.
In a recent court filing, WWE revealed its intention to seek arbitration and pause the ongoing lawsuit brought by Janel Grant.
The lawsuit, initiated on January 25, alleges a range of offenses including sex trafficking, emotional abuse, and sexual assault against Vince McMahon by Janel Grant.
McMahon responded to the lawsuit by filing a motion to compel arbitration on April 23. In the filing, McMahon asserted that any interactions between him and Grant were consensual and that he never coerced or mistreated her. He further claimed that Grant’s actions breached their agreement, leading to the withholding of payments by McMahon.
Following McMahon’s lead, John Laurinaitis also moved to compel arbitration on May 2, aligning himself with McMahon’s legal strategy. The filing reads as follows:
WHEREAS, on January 25, 2024, Plaintiff Janel Grant filed a Complaint against Defendants World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC (“WWE”), Vincent K. McMahon (“McMahon”), and John Laurinaitis (“Laurinaitis”), initiating the above-captioned action in this Court;
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2024, Plaintiff provided waiver of service of summons forms to all Defendants, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(d), requesting that the forms be signed and returned to Plaintiff within 30 days;
WHEREAS, all Defendants timely returned the waiver of service forms to Plaintiff;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 4(d)(3) and 12(a)(1)(A)(ii), Defendants’ deadline to serve answer or other responsive pleadings to the Complaint is 60 days after Plaintiff requested waiver of service from Defendants, or May 14, 2024;
WHEREAS, on April 23, 2024, McMahon filed a motion for an order compelling arbitration and staying this action pending arbitration;
WHEREAS, on May 2, 2024, Laurinaitis filed a motion to compel arbitration and adoption of and joinder in McMahon’s motion to compel arbitration;
WHEREAS, WWE also anticipates filing a motion to compel arbitration and stay this action pending arbitration;
WHEREAS, the parties have met and conferred with regard to a schedule governing briefing on Defendants’ motions to compel arbitration and suspending the current deadlines to answer, move or otherwise respond to the Compliant while the motions to compel arbitration are pending;
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by the parties hereto, through their undersigned counsel, subject to the approval of the Court, that:1. Defendants’ motions to compel arbitration and memoranda of law in support of their motions shall be filed by May 14, 2024;
2. Plaintiff’s opposition or oppositions to Defendants’ motions to compel arbitration shall be filed by June 4, 2024;
3. Defendants’ reply memoranda in support of their motions to compel arbitration shall be filed by June 18, 2024;
4. Any applicable deadline(s), pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(a), for Defendants to serve answers to the Complaint or other responsive pleadings, including any motions pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b), shall be suspended pending the Court’s adjudication of Defendants’ motions to compel arbitration;
5. In the event that the Court denies, in whole or in part, one or more of Defendants’ motions to compel arbitration, the Defendant(s) whose motion(s) have been denied shall serve answers or responsive pleadings, including any motions pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b), within 30 days after the Court denies the motion(s) to compel.
Wrestling Headlines will continue to keep you updated on this story.
