Briana’s Ex Off The Hook? ‘Little Women’ Star Matt’s Sex Assault Case To Be Settled In Mediation
Apr. 5 2019, Published 10:25 a.m. ET
Briana Renee’s estranged husband Matt Grundhoffer was expected to take the stand after being accused of sexual assault, but the ex Little Women: LA star may be off the hook. RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal the case may never go to trial.
In court papers obtained by RadarOnline.com, the Plaintiff, who RadarOnline.com has chosen not to name, and Defendants agreed to a stipulation for and order extending discovery deadlines on April 1, 2019.
The parties have scheduled a mediation to occur on May 8, 2019 before going to trial, which was set for June 3, 2019, in an effort to save money.
“In order to provide the best chance of resolution at mediation and, to the extent possible, minimize litigation-related expenses, the parties agree, with the Court’s consent, to completing expert opinion disclosure or reports, as well as expert depositions, following the mediation in this matter, along with any depositions or related discovery efforts that the parties mutually agree upon,” the court papers read.
The order was granted, as the parties are permitted to conduct expert-related discovery and disclosures following May 8, 2019 if a settlement is not reached.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the alleged victim sued State of Washington; Department of Social and Health Services; and Child Study and Treatment Center on June 4, 2018.
The Plaintiff alleged that she came in contact with Grundhoffer, who worked as a counselor when she was a minor patient.
“Defendants knew or should have known that Grundhoffer posed a danger to Plaintiff and others at CSTC,” the court papers read. “Plaintiff met Grundhoffer at a time when she was a minor child and vulnerable.”
The filing continued, “Grundhoffer manipulated that vulnerability by grooming Plaintiff during their counseling sessions for a romantic relationship and breached his ethical duties by engaging in a sexual relationship with Plaintiff while she was a patient, a minor child and held at CSTC.”
The Plaintiff claimed to have developed an “emotional dependency” to Grundhoffer because of his position of authority and trust.
The Defendants’ admitted in their response to the complaint that the Plaintiff met Grundhoffer when she was a minor child. They claimed they were “without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth” of the alleged sexual assault.
Grundhoffer was listed as a witness in the trial.
His estranged wife Renee, 35, was also listed as a witness.
“Briana R. Kealiher has knowledge of, and will provide testimony regarding the sexual abuse sustained by Plaintiff,” the court papers filed on March 14, 2019 read. “Plaintiff expressly reserves the right to call these witnesses as part of her case and further expressly reserves the right to determine whether she will call one or more of the following witnesses as trial witnesses at the time of trial.”
Although Grundhoffer may not testify in court, he still has ongoing legal troubles.
Renee filed for divorce from Grundhoffer in November 2017 after a series of sexting scandals.
She later filed a request for a domestic violence restraining order against him for her and their son Maverick in December 2017.
In the restraining order, she claimed to have found graphic sexual messages between Grundhoffer and another woman that allegedly involved bestiality and the proposal of sex acts with minor children, including the proposal of involving sex acts with his minor child from a previous relationship.
A judge granted the restraining order for five years. The case remains ongoing.