Julia Ormond Seeks Court Action After CAA Co-Founder Walks Out of Deposition

Julia Ormond’s lawyers are asking a court to issue an arrest warrant for CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz after he walked out of a court-ordered deposition tied to her years-long lawsuit against the talent agency.

What You Should Know

Ovitz was deposed June 1 as part of Ormond’s 2023 lawsuit alleging CAA failed to warn her about Harvey Weinstein before a 1995 business dinner that led to her assault, according to Variety. Ormond’s attorneys had pursued the deposition for more than a year before a court order compelled Ovitz, who had previously skipped a subpoenaed appearance, to comply.

The Public Image Problem

About 45 minutes into the scheduled three-hour deposition, Ormond’s attorney asked Ovitz about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, whose 2012 emails to Ovitz had surfaced in a Justice Department document release earlier this year. “I’m not going to discuss anything about Jeffrey Epstein,” Ovitz said, according to Variety’s review of the deposition transcript, before removing his microphone and leaving the building.

The Receipts

Ormond’s legal team filed a motion seeking a contempt ruling and arrest warrant, arguing the walkout capped a “months-long pattern of contempt for court proceedings,” according to the Hollywood Reporter. Earlier in the deposition, Ovitz had described Weinstein as “a bully” and said CAA “surely wouldn’t have done business” with him had the agency known about his conduct. CAA’s attorney objected that the firm had not been told Epstein-related questions would be raised.

What Happens Next

The motion asks the court to order Ovitz’s arrest until he completes a full deposition and produces documents related to his communications with Weinstein. A ruling on the contempt request, along with a separate motion to compel testimony from Stoli Group figures unrelated to this case, will determine whether Ovitz returns to the witness chair.

References: Variety | Hollywood Reporter