Earlier this year, Gina Carano successfully blocked Disney and its legal team from dismissing her sex discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit. This week, she won another legal battle when a federal judge denied the company’s request to pause the lawsuit (via Deadline).
“Having considered the parties’ submissions, the relevant law, and the record in this case, the Court denies the Motion,” U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett wrote in a 10-page order.
Garnett also dismissed Disney’s appeal to take the case to another court, aiming to reverse her decision on July 24 that refused to dismiss it.
“Defendants do not, however, explain how a Ninth Circuit opinion affirming the Court’s Order would alleviate the burden of responding to the discovery Plaintiff has propounded to date, nor is it apparent to the Court how such a decision could provide such relief,” the court order read.
“In any event, arguments regarding discovery — which, the Court notes, were not at issue in the Order — do not appear to have any bearing on the termination of the litigation and do not persuade the Court that certification is appropriate here.”
The decision followed the September 19 docket that marked ‘no appearance necessary’ as the Judge said there was no need for oral argument on the appeal or the stay.
“I am obviously very pleased with the opportunity to keep moving forward with the judicial process and into discovery,” Carano wrote on social media of the October 15 order. “While I wish this was not necessary as it is not my desire to be in this battle in court, I will not shrink away from it because it is hard or uncomfortable.”
The recent ruling allowing the discovery process to move forward means that Carano and her lawyers will soon be able to review Disney’s internal communications from three years ago that led to her firing before the trial set for September 29, 2025.
