Attorneys for Tiger Woods slammed his former lover as a “jilted ex-girlfriend” in new court documents arguing that she has no claims of sexual harassment against the golf legend.
Woods’ ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman, sued the trust that owns Woods’ Jupiter, Florida home in October after he broke up with her and kicked her out of the house.
Herman said she was kicked out in violation of an oral agreement the pair had to let her live rent-free at the home for a certain number of years.
Woods’ attorneys have argued that Herman sued the trust to get around her non-disclosure agreement with Woods, which would have forced her to arbitrate any issues with him.
In a separate action last week, Herman petitioned to get the NDA thrown out on the basis of the federal “Speak Out Act” law that nullifies such agreements in cases where sexual assault or harassment is alleged.
However, Herman made no specific reference in the filing to what kind of sexual assault or harassment claims she plans to make.
On Monday, Woods’ attorneys filed a motion asking the court to block Herman from using the sexual assault/harassment dispute loophole to get out of arbitration.
Woods’ attorneys wrote that the purpose of the “Speak Out Act” was to “prevent those accused of sexual harassment or sexual assault from relying on arbitration agreements to force sexual harassment or sexual assault disputes into confidential proceedings outside the public eye.”
The law was not meant for lawsuits that simply make “references” to sexual assault or harassment in a court filing, his lawyers argued.
“Here, Ms. Herman’s claims relate to a lease dispute under Florida’s landlord-tenant act, not a sexual harassment or sexual assault dispute,” Woods’ attorneys wrote.
“Ms. Herman is not a victim of sexual assault or abuse sought to be protected by Congress when enacting the statute,” Woods’ lawyers wrote. “Rather, Ms. Herman is a jilted ex-girlfriend who wants to publicly litigate specious claims in court, rather than honor her commitment to arbitrate disputes in a confidential arbitration proceeding.”
Herman alleges she was tricked into moving out of the home after the pair broke up. She says Woods paid for a hotel and “certain expenses for a short period of time” after their relationship ended.
A lawyer for Herman did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
Woods’ attorneys said in another court filing last week that he put her up in a luxury resort after their break-up and “provided funds she could apply toward a new residence.” Woods is trying to join that lawsuit, which Herman brought against his trust, as a defendant.
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Source: New York Post
