COURT BATTLES

Judge Dismisses Part of Ashely Judd’s Lawsuit Against Weinstein

He dismissed her sexual-harassment allegation, while allowing her defamation claim to move forward.

A California federal judge on Wednesday permitted actress Ashley Judd’s defamation lawsuit against former producer Harvey Weinstein to go forward, but not her sexual-harassment claim. According to The Hollywood Reporter, U.S. District Court Judge Philip Gutierrez said he was skeptical if the statue Judd was trying to invoke (California Civil Code Section 51.9) could be applicable to Judd’s case or any other case between a “potential employer and a prospective employee.” Judd will reportedly have a chance to file an amended complaint to give her sexual-harassment claim another go in court. Judd has accused Weinstein of propositioning her in a hotel room two decades ago, and claims she was only able to escape the situation after saying she would “let him touch her if she won an Academy Award.” She also claims that Weinstein destroyed her chances at starring in the Lord of the Rings film series by telling the director that she was a “nightmare” to work with.