Judge Denies Early Discovery in Grant v. McMahon Case

A federal judge has denied a request for early discovery in the lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant against Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment, though the ruling leaves open the possibility for reconsideration later in the proceedings.

The decision, issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell, marks the first significant development in the case in about seven months. Grant, a former WWE paralegal, filed the civil suit in January 2024 in Connecticut federal court, accusing McMahon of sexual assault, sex trafficking and emotional abuse during her employment from 2019 to 2022. She also alleged that WWE enabled the misconduct through negligence. McMahon, the company's co-founder and former executive chairman, has denied the claims.

Grant's legal team sought early access to records and depositions to build arguments against enforcing a nondisclosure agreement she signed in 2022, which included a clause requiring disputes to be resolved through private arbitration rather than public court proceedings. The agreement stemmed from a $3 million payment to Grant following her departure from WWE.

In her order, Russell ruled that Grant had not demonstrated...