In a surprise development to the ongoing court battle between Tiger Woods and his ex-partner Erica Herman, the latter reportedly wants to drop the charges of sexual allegations against Woods. This comes just months after she considered filing an appeal against a Florida Court judgment that rejected her sexual allegation claim.

While that might draw a sigh of relief from the 15-time Major winner, for Herman, the legal battle gets more muddled. Now that Herman has walked back on the previous allegation, she won’t be able to resort to the Speak Out Act to break the NDA she has with Woods. Moreover, with the mounting debts she has incurred from a failed business venture, it would become harder for her to repay them.

What Herman said in her court filing against Tiger Woods

It was only in March that Herman made sexual harassment allegations against Woods when they started dating. Claiming that Woods pressurized her to sign an NDA in 2017, she sought recourse from the binding agreement. She claimed she was not able to decide to whom to speak about her personal life. As per the court documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight, Woods’ ex-girlfriend checked the “Does this case involve allegations of sexual abuse?” box yes on the paper.

However, this time, Woods’ ex-girlfriend stated in the court file that “she was never a victim of sexual harassment or sexual abuse at the hands of Tiger Woods,” as per ET. Moreover, this was a new development in the long-drawn legal case, as Woods’ team of lawyers has always brushed aside the claims as false, with his attorney labeling her as “jilted.”

Dropping the case means Herman will have a harder time proving the NDA null and void, as she won’t be able to resort to the Speak Out Act. Interestingly enough, her previous appeal was also rejected by the court.

What is the Speak Out Act, and why was Herman’s appeal rejected?

Introduced in Congress in 2022, the Speak Out Act provides legal recourse to victims of sexual assaults. The act very clearly states that to protect the victims, it is necessary to know their side of the story. Therefore, the act doesn’t recognize any previous non-disclosure agreements or non-disparagement agreements signed with any entity.

Erica Herman’s lawyers claimed a clear direction from the course while citing the Speak Out Act. But in May, a Florida court rejected her appeal by terming it “vague.” In a blow to her seeking a public court recourse, the court directed her to follow the private arbitration process that was recommended as per the NDA. Regardless, Herman chose to file an appeal against the court directive. Surprisingly, she made a total volte-face this time and withdrew the appeal as well as the sexual allegation cases. This is not the first time she dropped her charges, though.

Herman withdrew her $30 million appeal earlier

This news comes four months after Herman dropped another charge against Woods. Earlier, Herman filed a $30,000,000 public lawsuit against the trust that owns Woods’ estate. As per the court filings, Herman claimed the sum based on how much it would cost her to rent a property like the beachside mansion for six years. Apparently, Tiger Woods promised his then-girlfriend that she would be allowed to live in the mansion for eleven years.

Read More: After Being Delivered Another Ugly Blow by Erica Herman, How Is Tiger Woods’ Rapport With Ex-Wife Elin Nordegren?

Why might Erica Herman face debt issues again?

The US $30 million case against Woods would have helped her pay her debt. It dates back to 2016, when she took an investment offer of US $200,000 from Tom Morris to open a chain of five nightclubs in Orlando. However, the venture failed, and Morris’ organization won a case against the 38-year-old, compelling her to repay the amount.

The garnishment order directed Herman to pay up the monthly salary she used to get from Woods’ restaurant. There were wild speculations after Woods broke his hiatus and won the 2019 Masters that the 15-time Major winner was going to pay off the debt. However, there was no conclusive evidence of this.

The contradicting statements of Tiger Woods and Erica Herman

Woods and Herman’s breakup in 2022 shocked many, as only the lawsuits and counter-filings brought it to the limelight. Moreover, Herman used to accompany Woods in many PGA Tour events and major tournaments like the 2019 Masters. The first signs of turmoil showed when Herman filed a case against Tiger Woods.

The two have also differed about when they started dating. Erica Herman claimed that they started seeing each other in 2015, and it was in 2016 that she moved into Woods’ mansion. The 82-time PGA Tour winner, however, contradicted her, as he has maintained that their relationship started in 2017 and she moved in when the NDA was signed somewhere around August that year. Three years later, Woods, allegedly, forced Herman to quit her job at the restaurant he owns and move out as he wanted to spend more time with his children.

Notably, it was around that time in December that Tiger Woods teed off with his son, Charlie Woods, at the PNC Championship, a tournament where the father-son duo played twice more. Fans are speculating that they will once again tee off at the tournament next month, as all signs indicate that Woods is on the verge of an imminent comeback.

Tiger Woods has not played in any tournament this year since pulling out of the Masters in early April. He has been spotted practicing drives and caddying for his son in the recently concluded Notah Begay Hill Junior National Golf Championship. Amidst an injury-laden 2023, Herman’s dropping of subsequent cases is sure to provide a breather to the 47-year-old. While for Herman, her debt troubles might begin to haunt her once again.

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