At times, being proactive in legal matters can be beneficial, but it can also lead to unexpected consequences. For Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, it seems his proactive move might have caused more trouble.
Earlier this year, Prescott received a letter from lawyers representing a woman who claims Prescott sexually assaulted her in February 2017. However, the time limit for the alleged victim to sue Prescott for sexual assault had passed.
In response to the demand letter seeking $100 million, Prescott and his lawyers sued the alleged victim and her lawyers for extortion. This action, under Texas law, allowed Prescott to be sued for sexual assault.
According to Texas law, if a counterclaim arises from the same incident as the original claim, it can be filed even if it would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations.
The alleged victim filed a counterclaim against Prescott, including allegations of defamation, emotional distress, sexual assault, assault, and false imprisonment.
Prescott’s defense is that sexual assault didn’t occur. However, if he hadn’t initiated legal action first, he wouldn’t be facing these allegations.
Prescott’s lawyers may argue that the sexual assault claim doesn’t relate to the extortion lawsuit. However, this is likely to lead to a legal battle over whether the extortion lawsuit indeed opened the door to the sexual assault claim.
