Federal Judges Dismiss Multiple Lawsuits Against Author Neil Gaiman
In a significant legal development, federal judges across the United States have dismissed three separate lawsuits filed against internationally acclaimed British fantasy author Neil Gaiman. The lawsuits, initiated by his former children's nanny, Scarlett Pavlovich, accused Gaiman of multiple instances of sexual assault during her employment in New Zealand four years ago.
Details of the Dismissed Legal Actions
The legal proceedings began in February 2025 when Pavlovich filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin directly against Neil Gaiman and his wife, musician Amanda Palmer. On that same day, she initiated additional lawsuits against Palmer in both Massachusetts and New York. The Wisconsin filing specifically alleged that Gaiman had sexually assaulted Pavlovich on multiple occasions while she worked as the family's nanny in 2022.
U.S. District Judge James Peterson in Madison dismissed the Wisconsin lawsuit in October, stating unequivocally that Pavlovich needed to pursue her case through the New Zealand legal system rather than in American courts. This decision followed Pavlovich's earlier move to drop the portion of the Wisconsin lawsuit targeting Amanda Palmer in May.
Similarly, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston threw out the Massachusetts filing on Friday, citing identical jurisdictional grounds. The New York lawsuit against Palmer had already been dismissed in June after Pavlovich voluntarily moved to drop it, explaining in court documents that she had initially filed in New York because Palmer had recently relocated from that state to Massachusetts, creating uncertainty about proper jurisdiction.
Background of the Allegations
According to the lawsuit filings, Pavlovich alleged she was 22 years old and homeless when she first met Amanda Palmer in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2020. Palmer reportedly invited Pavlovich to the couple's residence on Waiheke Island, where she eventually became the nanny for their son.
The legal documents claimed that Gaiman first sexually assaulted Pavlovich on the night they met in February 2022, with subsequent assaults continuing throughout her employment. Pavlovich asserted she continued working for the family despite these alleged incidents because she was financially destitute and homeless, and because Gaiman had promised to assist her writing career.
More disturbingly, the lawsuits alleged that when Pavlovich eventually confided in Amanda Palmer about the assaults, Palmer reportedly told her that more than a dozen other women had previously come forward with similar allegations of sexual abuse against Gaiman. The filings claimed the assaults only ceased when Pavlovich told Palmer she was contemplating suicide.
Pavlovich further contended that Palmer was aware of Gaiman's sexual desires and intentionally presented her to him, knowing assault would likely occur. Her legal team argued that both Gaiman and Palmer violated federal human trafficking prohibitions and sought at least $7 million in damages.
Response from Neil Gaiman and Legal Defense
Following the publication of a detailed article in New York magazine in January 2025 that outlined allegations from eight women including Pavlovich, Neil Gaiman issued a public statement firmly denying he had ever engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone.
Gaiman's legal team presented a markedly different narrative in their motion to dismiss the Wisconsin lawsuit. They characterized the relationship between Gaiman and Pavlovich as a brief personal involvement that included "consensual physical intimacy." The motion further stated that New Zealand police had investigated Pavlovich's assault allegations and found them to be without merit.
The defense attorneys argued that Pavlovich's lawsuits represented the culmination of a deliberate plan to damage Gaiman's reputation and that any legitimate legal disputes should properly be resolved within New Zealand's judicial system rather than through American courts.
About Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman stands as one of the most celebrated contemporary authors in the fantasy and science fiction genres. His extensive literary portfolio includes internationally renowned works such as:
- "American Gods"
- "The Graveyard Book"
- "Anansi Boys"
- "Coraline," a dark children's fairy tale that achieved significant commercial and critical success
His 2013 novel, "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," earned the prestigious British National Book Award, further cementing his status within the literary world. The recent legal developments represent a significant chapter in the author's otherwise distinguished career.
Editor's Note: The Associated Press maintains a policy of not identifying individuals who claim to have been sexually assaulted unless they publicly identify themselves. Scarlett Pavlovich identified herself in an interview with New York magazine prior to filing her lawsuits. Attempts to reach Pavlovich's attorneys for comment on Monday were unsuccessful, and attorneys listed for Gaiman and Palmer similarly did not respond to messages seeking their perspective on the dismissals.
