By Canadian Press

Sex assault civil trial of Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon to resume next week

Apr 11, 2025 | 11:00 AM

MONTREAL — The sexual assault civil trial of Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon will resume next week after the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal of the scope of questions his lawyers could ask in his defence.

In a brief hearing today, the province’s highest court dismissed Rozon’s appeal filed in the midst of his civil trial last month.

In March, a Court of Appeal judge said that new provincial legislation limiting the type of questions that can be posed to victims or witnesses could have an impact on his trial.

The Civil Code changes — adopted days before the start to Rozon’s high-profile trial — restrict questions that suggest an alleged victim’s sexual past or their decision to stay in contact with an alleged abuser harms their credibility.

But since the initial Court of Appeal ruling, the nine plaintiffs in the case waived their rights under the new Civil Code provision and asked that Rozon’s appeal be thrown out.

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The Appeal Court today said that given the plaintiffs had waived their rights and that Rozon’s legal team was not required to abide by the new legislation, the three-member judge panel rejected his appeal.

The Quebec impresario is being sued by nine women for a total of nearly $14 million in damages over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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