After dismissing Weinstein's request to get Judd's suit tossed out of court, Judge Philip Gutierrez schedules a trial, which is expected to conclude in two weeks, to start in January 2020.
- October 16, 2018
AceShowbiz - Ashley Judd and Harvey Weinstein are heading to trial in her defamation case against him in 2020.
The "Double Jeopardy" star launched the legal action in April, accusing the disgraced producer of blacklisting her and sabotaging her career after she refused his sexual advances.
In her suit, she referred to comments made by "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson late last year (17), when he confessed to dropping Judd from casting consideration for his 2001 fantasy blockbuster based on remarks Weinstein had allegedly made about her lack of professionalism.
Weinstein vehemently denied trying to derail Judd's career, and in August, he filed a motion asking for the actress' case to be dismissed, declaring the accusations are based on unfounded speculation.
However last month, Judge Philip Gutierrez shot down Weinstein's bid and allowed Judd to continue with her defamation and interference case.
And now the judge has scheduled the trial to start in January 2020. He has also set up a court-orchestrated mediation session next month.
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
"We intend to move quickly to discovery and trial on behalf of Ms. Judd and look forward to proving Mr. Weinstein's outrageous conduct," Judd's lawyer Theodore Boutrous of Gibson Dunn tells Deadline.
The lawsuit is just part of Weinstein's mounting legal problems - he is also facing multiple criminal charges for sexual assault in New York and Los Angeles following a series of exposes last year (17), in which he was accused of sexual misconduct from over 50 women, including Judd. He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
