Ashley Judd’s sexual harassment claim against Harvey Weinstein was dismissed by a federal judge Wednesday, once again, because it didn’t fall in the scope of a California statute.
Judge Philip S. Gutierrez denied the 50-year-old actress’ amendment to her claim of defamation and economic interference against the disgraced movie mogul, according to Deadline on Wednesday. (RELATED: What Ashley Judd Would Say To Weinstein Now Will Surprise A Lot Of People)
Ashley Judd arrives for the 90th Annual Academy Awards on March 4, 2018, in Hollywood, California. (Photo credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)
“The Court makes clear that it is not determining whether Plaintiff was sexually harassed in the colloquial sense of the term,” Guiterrez wrote Wednesday. “The only question presented by the current motion is whether the harassment that Plaintiff allegedly suffered falls within the scope of the California statute that she has sued under.”
After the ruling, the “Double Jeopardy” actress’ attorney made it clear that the decision in no way meant his client’s lawsuit against Weinstein was over, and that they would be proceeding with her multiple claims.
“Nothing about today’s ruling changes that Ms. Judd’s case is moving forward on multiple claims,” Ted Boutrous said. “The Court today dismissed only one of Ms. Judd’s four claims for relief. In doing so, it made clear that it was not determining whether Ms. Judd was sexually harassed in the colloquial sense of the term.”
“It even acknowledged that the common meaning of the words in the statute would encompass her professional relationship with Mr. Weinstein,” he added. “Nevertheless, the Court ruled that the statute does not apply here. While we respectfully disagree with the Court’s decision as to the one claim it ruled on today, we look forward to pursuing the three claims for relief that the Court has already ruled can move forward.”
Ashley Judd accepts the WMC Speaking Truth To Power Award onstage at the Women’s Media Center 2017 Women’s Media Awards at Capitale on October 26, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Women’s Media Center)
Last September, a federal judge ruled that the alleged sexual misconduct claim, stemming from a 1990s hotel room incident in which Judd has accused Weinstein of physically assaulting her, did not fit the definition of workplace sexual harassment.
As previously reported, Judd has claimed that after she rejected Weinstein’s sexual advances he blackballed her and director Peter Jackson didn’t hire her, thereby hurting her career.
“I lost career opportunity. I lost money. I lost status and prestige and power in my career as a direct result of having been sexually harassed and rebuffing the sexual harassment,” Judd explained at the time.
Harvey Weinstein (left) leaves State Supreme Court with his defense attorney Ben Brafman on Monday after pleading not guilty at an arraignment on charges that he committed a sex crime against a third woman on July 9, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
“My career opportunities, after having been defamed by Harvey Weinstein, were significantly diminished,” she added. “My career was damaged because I rebuffed Mr. Weinstein’s sexual advances. I know it for a fact.”
The disgraced movie mogul faces a variety of sexual misconduct and sexual assault accusations from more than 60 women, including such stars as Mira Sorvino, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rose McGowan and many others.
