Add as a preferred source on Google Janel Grant’s federal lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE is about to leave the U.S. public court system.
In a new filing submitted to the court, Grant, McMahon and WWE said they have signed an agreement to resolve the dispute through private arbitration. Within five business days, Grant’s attorneys are required to file for the case to be dismissed with prejudice against the two remaining defendants.
The dismissal of the federal case does not mean Grant has withdrawn her allegations, that the defendants have been cleared, or that a financial settlement has already been reached.
The filing itself makes clear that Grant, McMahon and WWE will still be able to present their allegations, arguments and defenses in arbitration. A dismissal with prejudice only prevents the same case from being filed again in public court.
In practice, the case will no longer generate hearings, depositions or documents accessible to the public. The arbitration will be handled outside the court system by an arbitrator, and most future developments are expected to remain confidential.
Grant filed the lawsuit on Jan. 25, 2024, accusing McMahon of sexual abuse and sex trafficking during her time working at WWE. The company was accused of allowing and covering up the conduct. McMahon denies the allegations and maintains that he had a consensual relationship with Grant.
The dispute over where the case would be heard centered on a confidentiality agreement Grant signed in 2022. The agreement called for a $3 million payment and included an arbitration clause. Grant says she received only $1 million and signed under heavy pressure, while McMahon and WWE have been pushing to take the case out of public court since 2024.
John Laurinaitis, who was initially named as a defendant, left the case in May 2025 after reaching a confidential settlement and agreed to cooperate with Grant, including providing possible evidence against McMahon and WWE.
The terms of the new arbitration have not been disclosed. The next public move is expected to be the formal request to dismiss the federal case.