Prince Andrew Finally Acknowledges Proper Service of Virginia Giuffre's Lawsuit Docs: What Will Happen Next?
Prince Andrew conceded the proper service of court documents by Virginia Giuffre and her lawyers, multiple news outlets confirmed.
The royal prince and his lawyers filed a joint stipulation in Manhattan federal court on Friday, saying that they already received copies of the documents. They noted that the file includes copies of the complaint and summons surrounding the sexual assault and sexual battery allegations.
It marked the new development on the ongoing battle between Duke of York and Giuffre, with the latter accusing the royal of abusing her thrice when she was 18.
Recently, Giuffre's team forwarded the legal papers to Prince Andrew and his lawyers again via email and FedEx after the Duke of York's attorney insisted that he was not served under the U.K. or international Law.
However, Giuffre's representative, David Boies, insisted that they delivered the documents to the address of Prince Andrew and sent them by Royal Mail. A police officer at the Royal Lodge reportedly received it on August 27.
What Will Happen Next?
Now that Prince Andrew acknowledged the receipt of the documents, both camps need to follow the next standard legal protocol.
The royal prince's legal team would need to file a response to the initial complaint within 21 days. The deadline, if that's the case, would be on October 12.
However, it is worth noting that both legal parties signed a stipulation requesting the cancellation of the preliminary hearing on October 13. The teams reportedly spoke on the phone on September 21, where they established an agreement.
During the conversation, the legal representatives agreed to extend the deadline and allow Prince Andrew to respond to the lawsuit until October 29.
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In return, Prince Andrew and his lawyers guaranteed there would be no attempt to challenge the service of process following the concession.
Despite their agreement, U.S. District Judge Lewis A Kaplan will still rule on the joint request. But it is highly likely he would agree to it since both parties approved the move.
With the recent dramatic development, sources revealed to Daily Mail that the Duke of York now prepares to fight and dismiss the accusers' claims in pursuit of clearing his name.
'Irrespective of media reports, the duke retains every confidence in his legal team and their strategy," the source went on.
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