WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis due dates to respond set

This article has been updated to correct the dates each defendant has to respond.

WWE has until June 1 to respond. Vince McMahon has until May 24. And John Laurinaitis has until May 14.

Waivers of summons dated March 15 for Vince McMahon and WWE, finally appeared on the docket for Grant v. WWE et al, the same date as the waiver of summons for John Laurinaitis. This confirms previous comments Janel Grant’s lawyer Ann Callis made to us in an interview, indicating that all three parties were given a waiver of summons on the same date.

It’s noteworthy that WWE is being represented by Daniel Toal from the Paul Weiss firm. WWE has a history of working with Paul Weiss in other legal matters, including the latter part of the MLW lawsuit and the TKO merger.

McMahon is being represented by Jessica T. Rosenberg from the Kasowitz Benson Torres firm, as indicated in a New York Post article earlier this month with comments from her on behalf of McMahon and in statements to Wrestlenomics/POST Wrestling.

Laurinaitis is being represented by Florida attorney Edward M. Brennan.

Grant is suing the company, McMahon, and Laurinaitis for alleged sex trafficking. McMahon and Grant secretly agreed to a nondisclosure agreement in January 2022. Grant’s side argues the NDA is unenforceable for multiple reasons including her claim that McMahon failed to continue to make payments he agreed to.

A determination on whether the case will go to private arbitration to resolve the NDA dispute, which the defendants will likely argue, or continue as a public lawsuit may be among the first issues the Court will decide.

The lawsuit, which contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault and degradation, was filed in Connecticut federal court on January 25, leading to McMahon’s resignation the next day from all roles at WWE and TKO. Jeffrey A. Meyer is the assigned judge.