WWE files motion in Janel Grant case

The company ‘anticipates’ joining co-defendants Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis by filing its own motion to compel arbitration in the sex trafficking case that led to McMahon’s resignation.

In January, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis & WWE. It accused McMahon of sex trafficking and sexual & emotional abuse during the course of a lengthy personal relationship between he & Grant. Laurinaitis, a long-time WWE executive & McMahon lieutenant, allegedly participated in the abuse. And the company is accused of enabling McMahon, its former Chairman & CEO.

McMahon denies there was any abuse and claims he & Grant’s relationship was completely consensual. Last month, he filed a motion elaborating on his version of events while requesting the case be settled in private arbitration, as required by a non-disclosure agreement Grant signed but says McMahon broke.

Through his lawyer, Laurinaitis initially claimed to also be a victim of McMahon’s abuse. But last week, he joined his former boss in filing a motion to compel arbitration with his legal team now vowing to fight Grant’s “false allegations”.

Yesterday (May 7), WWE filed their first motion in the case. The six-page filing with The United States District Court of Connecticut states that they “anticipate” joining McMahon and Laurinaitis in asking the case be settled in arbitration, indicating all parties have agreed to a timeframe by which they will do so and when the plaintiff will respond.

Here’s the relevant portion, via PWInsider:

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER GOVERNING BRIEFING SCHEDULE ON MOTIONS TO COMPEL ARBITRATION

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 Case 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.