Civil Suit Against Newport Beach Doctor Accused of Sexual Assault on Hold Pending Criminal Case

Grant Robicheaux, sitting with girlfriend Cerissa Riley in court Wednesday, was charged with drugging and raping five more women as prosecutors added felony kidnapping counts and increased bail for each of them to $1 million. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Mar 20, 2019 / 12:50 PM PDT

Updated: Mar 20, 2019 / 12:50 PM PDT

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An Orange County Superior Court judge on Tuesday agreed to a woman’s request to pause her civil lawsuit against a Newport Beach surgeon who she alleges drugged and raped her in 2016.

The plaintiff asked Judge Walter Schwarm to stay proceedings in the suit until the doctor’s related criminal case concludes.

Attorneys representing Dr. Grant Robicheaux, his girlfriend, Cerissa Riley, and a couple who partly own the Newport Beach home where the assault allegedly occurred argued that they have the right to depose the plaintiff and other witnesses to mount a defense, adding that the motion to stay the case amounted to a ruse by the plaintiff’s attorney to wait and see what evidence becomes public during the criminal proceeding.

“We can’t have a situation where someone can sue and then not allow discovery because of Marsy’s Law,” said Robicheaux’s attorney, Thomas Ferlauto.

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