WWE, Vince McMahon and Janel Grant Seek to Move Sex Trafficking Lawsuit to Arbitration
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TL;DR
- WWE, Vince McMahon, and Janel Grant jointly requested the court to adjourn a hearing while they discuss arbitration.
- The US District Court in Connecticut has not yet ruled on the request.
- Parties are considering private arbitration to resolve the lawsuit confidentially.
- The sex trafficking lawsuit initially led to McMahon resigning from WWE roles.
Overview
WWE, Vince McMahon, and former employee Janel Grant have jointly requested a US court to postpone a hearing in their ongoing sex trafficking lawsuit as they actively discuss resolving the dispute through confidential arbitration. The motion, filed in the District of Connecticut, seeks to pause current court proceedings to allow time for negotiation of a potential arbitration agreement.
What Happened
On June 11, 2026, WWE, Vince McMahon, and Janel Grant jointly filed a motion with the US District Court for the District of Connecticut requesting a temporary adjournment of a scheduled hearing.
The hearing, set for June 16, 2026, was originally to address defendant motions to compel arbitration and plaintiff motions for discovery related to arbitration.
The filing states that all parties are in active discussions about agreeing to resolve the dispute through confidential arbitration.
If an agreement to arbitrate is reached, it would render the existing motions, including the one to compel arbitration, moot.
The parties have proposed submitting a joint status report within 21 days to update the court on the progress of these discussions.
As of the filing, Judge Sarah F. Russell has not issued a ruling on the motion to adjourn.
Context
Janel Grant filed a sex trafficking lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE in January 2024, prompting McMahon's resignation from WWE and TKO executive roles.
WWE and McMahon previously sought to compel arbitration based on an arbitration clause in a nondisclosure agreement signed by Grant in 2022.
John Laurinaitis, a former WWE executive, was originally named as a defendant but later exited the case following an agreement with Grant to provide evidence.
The move to arbitration, if agreed, would shift the dispute from a public court setting to a private, confidential forum.
Why It Matters
- If the case proceeds to arbitration, it would remove the dispute from public court proceedings, increasing confidentiality.
- The outcome may influence how employment-related disputes with arbitration clauses are handled by high-profile companies in the entertainment sector.
- The request reflects a trend towards resolving high-profile litigation through private arbitration rather than public trial.