The lawsuit brought against WWE, TKO and others by former ‘ring boys’ has been put on pause due to an upcoming ruling by the Maryland Supreme Court. Federal Judge James K. Bredar ruled to stay proceedings until the Supreme Court rules on whether the state’s Child Victims Act is constitutional.
The CVA, which was first introduced in 2023, removes the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving child sexual abuse, even in cases of negligence. The law is crucial to the case brought forward, as they alleged abuse took place decades ago.
The lawsuit was filed in October and alleges that former WWE employee Mel Phillips sexually abused the five plaintiffs, anonymized as John Doe 1 through 5, while they worked as ring boys in the 1980s. It also claims that WWE, Vince, and Linda McMahon failed to act despite being aware of Phillips’ conduct. Phillips passed away in 2012.
Vince McMahon’s attorney Jessica T. Rosenberg, also representing McMahon in the Janel Grant lawsuit, has described the case as full of claims that are “untrue and unfounded.” Linda McMahon’s lawyer Laura Brevetti has described the lawsuit as “filled with scurrilous lies, exaggerations, and misrepresentations.”
The Maryland Supreme Court’s ruling on whether the CVA is constitutional or not is expected by August 2025. If passed, it will allow this case and others like this one to move forward, regardless of how much time has passed since the alleged abuse. This is an ongoing case and we seek to bring updates in due time.