Judge Denies WWE and McMahons’ Effort To Throw Out Ring Boy Lawsuit

TRIGGER WARNING – SEXUAL ABUSE

On Monday, a federal judge rejected an effort by WWE, TKO, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon, to have the ring boy lawsuit dismissed because of the argument that a Maryland law the case was brought under violates the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar ruled that the law is constitutional as applied to the case. The lawsuit may now move forward toward the discovery phase.

Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling first reported the story.

The Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 was upheld in a Maryland Supreme Court ruling earlier this year. The Act eliminates the statute of limitations in negligence claims in regard to lawsuits by child abuse victims. The defendants argued that the Act is illegal under the US Constitution and the Maryland Constitution.

A teleconference is set for November 17 to set future deadlines.

The plaintiffs allege abuse by the ring announcer Mel Phillips, who died in 2012, during their work as minors for the World Wrestling Federation (WWE) in the 1970s through the early 1990s. The defendants are being accused of negligence.

The lawsuit was originally filed in October 2024. You can read the full lawsuit here.