In the ongoing saga surrounding the WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis, a new chapter unfolds as all parties involved in Janel Grant’s civil lawsuit have now sketched out a potential timeline for moving the case towards arbitration.
Recently, McMahon and Laurinaitis’s legal teams have been actively pushing for arbitration, preferring a more private arena over the public scrutiny of civil court. Their latest legal maneuvering has resulted in a stipulated agreement on the deadlines for necessary filings. The defendants are set to file their motion for arbitration by May 14, granting Janel Grant’s representatives until June 4 to counter. The defense will then have until June 18 to issue their final replies before the judge steps in to assess the facts and rule on whether the arbitration will proceed.
WWE’s legal eagles, although yet to file their motion as of now, have signaled their intention to steer this case out of the public eye and into the confines of arbitration, where proceedings and outcomes remain shielded from the public gaze. This move aligns with the corporate giant’s broader strategy to manage the optics and implications of the suit discreetly.
At the heart of the lawsuit, Janel Grant alleges she was hired under conditions set by McMahon that included expectations of a personal relationship with the then-CEO—a claim that paints a troubling picture of workplace ethics at WWE. Both McMahon and Laurinaitis are directly accused in these allegations, with suggestions that other WWE insiders were aware of the arrangement.
The lawsuit coincides with McMahon’s reduced involvement in WWE, having relinquished his role as Executive Chairman at TKO Group Holdings earlier this year, now maintaining only his stock ownership in the company. Additionally, McMahon is reportedly under federal investigation, although it remains unconfirmed whether this is directly tied to Grant’s allegations.
As this legal drama continues to unfold, the wrestling world watches closely, waiting to see how these allegations will shake the foundations of the storied franchise and what precedents it might set for handling such serious accusations within major entertainment enterprises.