Kevin Spacey’s British sexual assault civil trial is expected to take place in 2025

Kevin Spacey’s lawyers were in court in London on Tuesday, May 7, clearing up a mistake that would have left the actor facing a default judgment holding him liable in a civil sexual assault lawsuit. diversity Reports.

Spacey’s lawyers successfully overturned the default judgment, setting the stage for a trial expected to take place in 2025 (an exact date has not yet been announced). The civil lawsuit was filed by a man who claims he “suffered psychiatric harm and other financial losses” after Spacey sexually assaulted him in August 2008.

While Spacey’s accuser remains anonymous in the civil suit, he was one of four men involved in Spacey’s criminal trial in the United Kingdom last year (according to Reuters). In the criminal trial, the man testified that Spacey performed oral sex on him while he was sleeping and without his consent.

The anonymous accuser filed his civil lawsuit against Spacey in July 2022, but it was put on hold pending the outcome of the criminal case. After that case ended with Spacey’s acquittal on all charges, the actor’s lawyers failed to timely file his defense in the civil lawsuit. That led the judge to enter a default judgment in favor of Spacey’s accuser earlier this year, which would have sent the case immediately to the damages phase if it had been upheld.

Spacey’s lawyer Adam Speker said in court on Tuesday that the filing date was missed due to a “genuine mistake.” He further argued that the default judgment was unfair and should be overturned because the accuser had already been “disbelieved by a jury under oath.”

The judge in the case agreed, acknowledging that Spacey’s lawyers had made a “serious and significant” error, but adding: “In my view, this error should not be at the expense of the defendant…In the interests of justice, it is necessary that the allegations be brought to trial and the default judgment is set aside.”

Spacey has faced more than a dozen allegations of sexual assault or misconduct, all of which he has denied. He has also repeatedly emerged unscathed from various court cases, including the British criminal trial last year and a civil lawsuit brought by actor Anthony Rapp in 2022. Last year, Spacey paid $1 million to seek arbitration over his alleged sexual harassment of crew members to be attached House of cards.

The allegations against Spacey have received renewed attention thanks to a new two-part documentary. Spacey exposed, which premiered on Britain’s Channel 4 earlier this month. In an interview, Spacey described the allegations in the documentary as “complete nonsense.”

In the midst of all this, the actor also announced that he would support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s third run for president.