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Tiger Woods Files Motion to Dismiss Ex-Girlfriend Erica Herman's Lawsuit

Erin Walsh

PGA Tour star Tiger Woods filed a motion on Monday to dismiss his former girlfriend Erica Herman's lawsuit against him, according to Ryan Young of Yahoo Sports.

The filing, which was obtained by Yahoo Sports, alleges that Herman willingly signed a nondisclosure agreement and agreed to settle any disputes through private arbitration. She is currently aiming to resolve the dispute in court.

"Ms. Herman's response evinces a lack of understanding of the procedures to be followed at the upcoming hearing," the filing stated. "… As the record plainly demonstrates, Mr. Woods has insisted at every opportunity that [Ms.] Herman is bound by the arbitration provisions of the NDA and has sought to enforce his rights thereunder."

In an update to her lawsuit against Woods filed last week, Herman, who dated Woods for five years, alleged she was forced to sign an NDA or be fired from her job at his restaurant, The Woods Jupiter in South Florida, according to Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated.

Herman alleges that Woods pursued a sexual relationship with her while she was working at The Woods Jupiter. During that time, the five-time Masters champion told her to sign the NDA or be fired, Herman said.

Herman initially filed a lawsuit against a trust for Woods' residence in October, alleging she had been forced to leave his home despite having an oral agreement stating she could continue to live in the home for another five years.

She said that she was tricked into leaving Woods' home by being told to pack a bag for a weekend trip to the Bahamas. When she arrived at the airport, she said Woods' lawyer told her she wouldn't see him again and that she had been locked out of the property.

Herman filed a lawsuit naming Woods as a defendant in March, asking to be released from the NDA. She included accusations of sexual assault and harassment but wasn't specific in the filing. Allegations of sexual assault and harassment can void an NDA.

Legal experts told USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer that Herman would need to be more specific in the allegations made in the original filing, which is what she did when she updated the lawsuit last week.

"The landlord made the availability of her housing conditional on her having sexual relationship with a co-tenant," her latest filing stated, per Schrotenboer. "That conduct amounts to sexual harassment under federal and Florida fair housing laws."

In his filing on Monday, Woods included emails between Herman and his chief financial officer in which they discussed their initial NDA in 2017, per Young. Herman was told her "employment by The Woods Jupiter and your personal relationship with TW are two separate items."

Herman asked Woods' CFO what would happen if the two split up, and she said she didn't "have any problems with what's in the document because I wouldn't go public or use anything I know to hurt him or the kids."

Woods' attorneys are set to ask a judge to end the lawsuit against him during a hearing on Tuesday, per Young.

The 47-year-old recently underwent surgery on his ankle and it's unclear when he'll appear in another PGA Tour event.

   

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