WWE supports Vince McMahon motion in Janel Grant lawsuit

WWE is siding with Vince McMahon in the lawsuit against Janel Grant.

The company filed a memorandum on Wednesday in support of Vince McMahon’s motion to compel arbitration, disputing Grant’s allegations in the lawsuit.

“WWE disputes Grant’s allegations. But, as a threshold matter, this dispute cannot be heard in court because Grant agreed to arbitrate her claims. WWE therefore moves to compel this action to arbitration,” WWE said in the filing.

If the case moves to arbitration, that would mean that the case would move to private mediation and out of public court. All three defendants in the lawsuit (WWE, McMahon, and John Laurinitis) support taking the suit in this direction.

“Simply put, Grant has no claims actionable in this Court because the separation and non-disclosure agreement she signed with McMahon and WWE (the “Agreement”)—the monetary benefits of which she concededly accepted and retained—contains an arbitration provision that unambiguously precludes this Court from adjudicating her claims,” WWE further said.

WWE also said that which parts of the dispute should be handled in arbitration should ultimately be decided by an arbitrator.

“This action should be compelled to arbitration. The Agreement—which Grant concededly negotiated, signed, and accepted the benefits of—contains a clear and unambiguous arbitration provision. That provision requires not only that all claims Grant asserts here be decided in arbitration, but also that the threshold question of the arbitrability of those claims be decided by an arbitrator. The Court should grant WWE’s motion to compel arbitration and order that the claims proceed to arbitration, as the parties intended and as the Agreement requires.”

In her initial lawsuit, Grant said that the NDA was unenforceable, listing the Speak Out Act and the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protecting Act of 2000. WWE said in their filing that neither applies to arbitration.

Earlier on Wednesday, Vince McMahon filed a new document presenting a “Statement of Undisputed Material Facts” in the lawsuit.

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