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The following press release was issued:
Federal Court Rejects Defendants’ Constitutional
Challenge in WWE ‘Ring Boys’ Sexual Abuse CaseOct 19, 2026
DiCello Levitt Represents Survivors as Federal Court Upholds Application of Maryland’s Child Victims Act, Allowing Claims Against WWE and the McMahons to Proceed
MARYLAND – A federal judge has rejected a constitutional challenge brought by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), TKO Group Holdings, and Vince and Linda McMahon in the ongoing “Ring Boys” child sexual abuse litigation. The ruling marks another victory for survivors who allege they were sexually abused as minors while working in connection with WWE events during the 1980s and 1990s.
In a 26-page opinion issued today, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar of the District of Maryland rejected the defendants’ latest attempt to dismiss the survivors’ claims. At issue was the constitutionality of Maryland’s Child Victims Act of 2023, which eliminated time limits for filing civil lawsuits involving childhood sexual abuse. The law recognizes that survivors often delay disclosing abuse due to the lasting effects of trauma, giving them an opportunity to pursue justice when they are ready to come forward.
DiCello Levitt, together with Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, represents the survivors in John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al.
“This ruling is a significant victory for our clients and for other survivors of childhood sexual abuse who have waited years for the opportunity to seek justice,” said Greg Gutzler, a partner at DiCello Levitt who leads the litigation. “Trauma does not follow a legal deadline, and Maryland’s Child Victims Act recognizes that reality. Our clients have waited years to hold those responsible accountable. We will not stop fighting until their voices are heard and they have their day in court.”
Court Clears Another Hurdle for Sexual Abuse Survivors
The defendants argued that Maryland’s Child Victims Act was unconstitutional as applied to them because it allowed lawsuits over alleged abuse from decades earlier. Judge Bredar disagreed, finding that the law was passed to remedy a well-known problem: the fact that trauma and other factors can suppress the ability of child sexual abuse victims to report within traditional statute of limitations periods. He also rejected the defendants’ argument that the law is punitive, finding instead that its primary aim is to allow the survivors to bring childhood claims that were lost through no fault of their own, and often due to the actions of their abusers.
The ruling follows the court’s December 2025 decision largely denying the defendants’ earlier motions to dismiss.
The WWE Ring Boys sexual abuse lawsuit alleges that WWE employees, including ringside announcer and ring crew chief Melvin Phillips Jr., recruited underage boys to assist with wrestling events and used their positions to groom, exploit, and sexually abuse them. The plaintiffs further allege that WWE leadership, including Vince and Linda McMahon, knew or should have known about the abuse but failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it.
The litigation is led by DiCello Levitt’s Greg Gutzler and Adam Prom and includes Scott Gilmore, Mark A. DiCello, Bobby DiCello, and Emma Bruder, with local counsel Murphy, Falcon & Murphy.
The case is John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-03487, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
About DiCello Levitt
DiCello Levitt LLP is one of the leading plaintiffs’ law firms in the United States. Nationally recognized for our work in high-stakes class actions, mass torts, and complex litigation, we have recovered more than $25 billion for clients, including individuals, businesses, and communities. We take on some of the world’s most powerful interests, pursuing justice that reshapes industries and improves lives.
Built for trial, DiCello Levitt is among the few plaintiffs’ firms with a dedicated trial center, where our acclaimed trial lawyers bring both art and science to courtroom preparation and trial strategy. We are frequently appointed to lead major multidistrict litigation (MDLs) and consistently recognized among the nation’s top plaintiffs’ firms by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, and The National Law Journal, which has named DiCello Levitt Plaintiffs’ Firm of the Year and Trial Strategy Innovation Firm of the Year.
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