- Tiger Woods has asked a judge to transfer Erica Herman’s lawsuit against the trust that owns her home to arbitration.
- Herman’s lawyers criticized Woods’ request in a court filing Friday, saying he failed to prove that she ever agreed to arbitration.
- The attorneys argued that Woods sexually harassed Herman by having a sexual relationship with her while she was an employee and then kicked her out of her home when it was over.
lawyers of erica hermannthe ex-girlfriend of tiger forestclaimed in new court documents filed Friday that the famed golfer sexually harassed Herman by engaging in a sexual relationship with her while she was an employee and then tricked her into leaving her home after their sexual relationship ended.
Herman’s lawyers are asking a Florida judge to halt discovery and all proceedings in their lawsuit against Woods after Woods tried to take the case out of court, saying he “hasn’t even come close” to proving that Herman agreed to arbitration.
german first sued the trust Woods’ home owner in October, shortly after the couple split. Herman has said in court documents that Woods kicked her out of the house without notice, in violation of an oral agreement that she had to live there rent-free. Woods’ lawyers argue that she was there as a guest and that he owes her nothing.
The lawsuit says Woods used “tricks” to evict Herman, who was also a manager at one of Woods’ restaurants in Florida. He claimed that Woods told him to pack for a short vacation, but when he left the house, he was notified that it had been locked up, the lawsuit says.
Woods’ lawyers have argued in court documents that Herman filed the lawsuit to avoid his NDA with Woodswhich would have forced her to arbitrate any issues with him out of court.
In March, Herman applied to obtain the NDA discarded based on the “Speak Out Act”, which voids agreements in cases where sexual assault or harassment is alleged. However, she did not make any specific reference at the time to what type of sexual assault or harassment claims he planned to make in the presentation.
On Friday, Herman filed a motion asking the judge to deny Woods’ request to take the lawsuit to arbitration and grant a protective order stopping discovery and granting a stay of all proceedings in the case, according to court documents.
In the document, Herman’s lawyers said in their original complaint that Herman “had to be superficial” with the description of his sexual harassment “due to the threatened execution of an NDA against him.”
Herman’s attorneys argue that Woods imposed an NDA on Herman when she engaged in a sexual relationship with him as a still-working staff member at his restaurant, thereby changing her working conditions based on a sexual relationship, which constitutes sexual harassment.
The document also says Herman’s “eviction” from Woods’ home was sexual harassment because Herman’s “lease” ended when he ended his sexual relationship with Woods.
The filing says Woods’ request to take the case to arbitration is based on a “very redacted document” that Woods says is a contract between the couple.
“But he has not even been able to attest to that document,” the file says. “He asks the court to assume that there is a binding arbitration agreement, which is not based on any admissible evidence or even a statement by himself.”
Herman’s lawyers said Woods still needs to prove that Herman agreed to arbitrate disputes with him if he wants to take the case to arbitration.
“He hasn’t done that,” the presentation says. “He hasn’t even come close. And he can’t. The court should deny the motion.”
Attorneys for Woods, Herman and the Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment on Saturday.
Herman’s lawsuit was filed in October, but first reported in March, and seeks $30 million in damages.
