Judge lets WWE Ring Boys lawsuit proceed

A federal judge in Maryland has allowed a child sexual abuse lawsuit against WWE to proceed. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar rejected the defendants' latest attempt to dismiss the claims in a 26-page opinion.

The ruling centers on the constitutionality of Maryland's Child Victims Act of 2023. The law removed time limits for filing civil lawsuits involving childhood sexual abuse, acknowledging that trauma often causes survivors to delay disclosure.

The law firm DiCello Levitt, along with Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, represents the survivors in the case titled John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al.

The lawsuit alleges that WWE employees, including ringside announcer and ring crew chief Melvin Phillips Jr., recruited underage boys to work at wrestling events. These employees are accused of using their positions to groom, exploit, and sexually abuse the boys.

The plaintiffs claim that WWE leadership, including Vince and Linda McMahon, knew or should have known about the abuse but did not take reasonable steps to prevent it.

This decision follows the court's December 2025 ruling that largely denied the defendants' earlier motions to dismiss the case.