Prince Andrew’s attorneys acknowledge he has been served with US court papers in joint filing
By Kristina Sgueglia, CNN
Prince Andrew‘s lawyers acknowledge he has been served with legal papers in a civil sexual assault case against him, as do lawyers for the woman accusing him of sexual abuse, according to documents filed Friday in New York federal court.
The proposed stipulation, filed in agreement and electronically signed by attorneys for both parties, has yet to be signed by a judge.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is being sued in New York by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who says he had sex with her when she was 17. Andrew has denied similar allegations from Giuffre in the past.
The stipulation proposes the service of process on the duke be deemed effective September 21, according to the filing. The duke has until the extended date of October 29 to file and serve a response.
It further stipulates a previously set briefing schedule including an October 13 oral argument date has been vacated. The agreement is subject to approval by the court.
Andrew’s team had previously said that he had not been properly served notice of proceedings, despite Giuffre’s legal team saying papers were served at the prince’s home in Windsor, England.
Giuffre says that the assaults happened in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands, that Andrew was aware that she was a minor (17) when it started, and that she had been trafficked by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, 61, has consistently denied the claims, telling the BBC in 2019: “It didn’t happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
Brettler, his lawyer, has called the case “baseless, non-viable (and) potentially unlawful.”
His lawyers also say a 2009 settlement between Giuffre and Epstein released the duke from “any and all liability.” That remains sealed.
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