The founder of Just for Laughs, Gilbert Rozon, is trying to quash a class-action lawsuit filed against him earlier this year by a group of women who have accused him of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
Following a brief hearing, Rozon was granted permission to appeal the authorization of the class-action lawusit against him.
In May a judge approved a $10 million class-action lawsuit by the group called "Les Courageuses" (The Courageous Ones), a collective that has accused Rozen of abusing at least 20 women between 1982 and 2016.
At the time Justice Donald Bisson noted that class action lawsuits have been proven effective in ensuring victims of such crimes have access to justice.
The lead complainant in the case, Patricia Tulasne, has accused Rozon of assaulting her in 1994. In approving the case, Bisson noted hat Rozon did not deny the event, but only questioned Tulasne's interpretation of what occurred.
Neither Rozon nor the complainants were in court Wednesday, as Rozon's representative argued that the lower court judge erred in approving the lawsuit.
In its ruling the Court of Appeal decided that further debate regarding the authorization of the class action lawsuit was necessary, and so will hold another hearing at a future date.
Rozon stepped down as president of Just for Laughs last year, and the festival and group has since been purchased by Howie Mandel, ICM Partners, Bell, and the CH Group.
In July Just for Laughs created a new anti-harassment policy for employees that specifically addresses sexual harassment and assault.
