Judge Robert Broadbelt of the Los Angeles Superior Court issued a preliminary ruling on April 16, 2024 in the case captioned Jane Doe v. Church of Scientology International, Bridge Publications, and Religious Technology Center (joined by defendant Gavin Potter on September 21, 2023).
In Judge Broadbent’s preliminary ruling, he declared Scientology’s arbitration contract to be unenforceable for reasons he explains in the ruling.
Judge Broadbent cited the US Federal law entitled Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021. The Judge explained how Jane Doe’s timeline fits into the act.
As a tactical legal maneuver, defendant David Miscavige exercised his Peremptory (170.6) right to ask for a new judge. This action rendered the preliminary ruling ineffective. Nevertheless, the preliminary ruling lays out a ruling for future judges to read and future plaintiffs to use in their lawsuits against Scientology.
This was after Miscavige spent two years evading service of subpoena, thus proving Scientology’s ecclesiastical leader to be terrified of deposition.
The ruling is well worth a read.