PWMania.com previously reported that Christopher Dispensa, a member of the production crew, has filed a lawsuit against AEW and Jon Moxley for negligence, as well as civil assault and battery. The lawsuit stems from an incident on the May 10, 2023, edition of Dynamite, during which Moxley pushed Dispensa to the ground while competing against Kenny Omega.
According to Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, a judge has denied AEW and Moxley’s request to move the civil lawsuit to a Florida court. The judge ruled that the case will remain in Michigan, where the incident occurred in May 2023. The defendants had requested the court to dismiss the case or place it on hold so it could be filed in Florida, where Dispensa resides, where most of his doctors are located, and where AEW has its headquarters. Judge Catherine Heise rejected this motion in an order filed on October 5, following a hearing on September 17.
Judge Heise noted that the incident, likely fact witnesses, and the arena are all located in Detroit. She also mentioned that the courthouse is within a reasonable walking distance of the arena. Furthermore, the judge indicated that medical witnesses in Florida could testify remotely and that moving the case to Florida would complicate matters for an out-of-state court trying to apply Michigan law to an incident that took place in Michigan.
A second settlement conference is scheduled for December 22, following the first in July.
