A judge in Salt Lake City's Third District Court has dismissed a civil lawsuit filed against BYU's Jake Retzlaff accusing the quarterback of sexual assault and battery, thereby ending the case that began last month and drew national attention.
Attorneys representing Retzlaff and the anonymous woman referred to as "Jane Doe A.G." filed a joint motion Monday morning to dismiss the case, and Judge Coral Sanchez signed off on the agreement a few hours later.
The case is dismissed "with prejudice and upon the merits of the Plaintiff's complaint against the Defendant, with each party to bear his or its own attorney's fees," according to the joint motion submitted by the plaintiff's attorney, Terence L. Rooney, and Retzlaff's attorney, Stephen R. Waldron.
The Deseret News reported Sunday that a source with direct knowledge of the situation expected the lawsuit to be "resolved" early this week, a resolution that will clear the way for Retzlaff to transfer to another major college football program as soon as Wednesday.
A case being dismissed with prejudice means that it can never be brought again.
Shortly before 10 a.m. Monday, Judge Sanchez signed the "proposed" order of dismissal, effectively ending the matter.
Sources confirmed Sunday that Retzlaff is facing a seven-game suspension from BYU for violating the school's honor code and plans to transfer to play for another program. One source called the potential destination school "a big-time program, a program in the top 10" in the country.
On May 21, the plaintiff filed the civil lawsuit against Retzlaff and accused him of raping, strangling and biting her in his Provo home the night of Nov. 22, 2023. The lawsuit sought more than $300,000 in damages for each of three causes of action "to be proven at trial."
Friday, Retzlaff's attorneys filed a response to the lawsuit in court and denied each and every allegation in the complaint. Retzlaff's attorneys called the accusations "ridiculous and bizarre" and that the quarterback and the woman had consensual sex that night.
