WWE and Vince and Linda McMahon failed to secure dismissal of the “ring boys” lawsuit on constitutional grounds, leaving the civil case able to proceed.
Reuters reported October 20 that U.S. District Judge James Bredar rejected their challenge to a Maryland law permitting claims over alleged childhood sexual abuse from decades earlier.
The October 19 decision concerns whether the lawsuit can continue. It does not determine whether the alleged abuse occurred or whether the defendants are liable.
That distinction matters because the plaintiffs’ allegations remain contested. POST Wrestling reported that the defendants have denied the central claims of the case.
The lawsuit alleges negligence by WWE and its former leadership in connection with abuse the plaintiffs say they suffered while working as minors at wrestling events.
The alleged conduct dates to the 1980s and 1990s, when the company operated as the WWF. The case was filed in 2024.
The defendants’ latest challenge focused on Maryland’s Child Victims Act of 2023, which removed time limits for civil lawsuits involving childhood sexual abuse.
According to Inside Higher Ed, the defendants argued that reviving decades-old claims violated constitutional due process protections and that the law imposed retroactive punishment.
Their position included concerns about defending allegations after witnesses had died and evidence had aged. Bredar rejected the constitutional challenge as applied to this case.
A DiCello Levitt statement published by PWInsider said the judge found that the law addressed obstacles that can delay survivors from disclosing alleged childhood abuse.
The statement also said Bredar rejected the argument that the law’s purpose was punitive, describing its aim as allowing previously time-barred civil claims to be heard.
DiCello Levitt represents the plaintiffs alongside Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. In the statement, lead attorney Greg Gutzler called the ruling a “significant victory for our clients.”
That characterization comes from the plaintiffs’ legal team. It describes their response to a procedural ruling, rather than a finding establishing the underlying allegations.
POST Wrestling reported that a teleconference is scheduled for November 17 to set future deadlines as the litigation moves toward discovery, when evidence is exchanged.
The outlet also noted an earlier dismissal decision in December 2025. The October ruling addresses a further constitutional challenge, rather than marking the filing of a new lawsuit.
The plaintiffs use John Doe pseudonyms. The case is John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al. in the District of Maryland.
PWInsider’s published copy of the law firm’s statement identifies the case number as 1:24-cv-03487.
WWE and lawyers for Vince and Linda McMahon did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on October 20, the news agency reported.
