Leah McSweeney, a former star of Real Housewives of New York City, won a big legal battle. She sued Andy Cohen and Bravo. Now, she has a major victory.
A federal judge ruled that Bravo cannot push the case into private arbitration. The lawsuit will go to public court, keeping the messy allegations in the spotlight.
The ruling marks a major moment in a legal battle that has been unfolding since February 2024.
Leah McSweeney’s lawsuit against Andy Cohen and Bravo will move forward in public court after a judge denied the network’s request to send the case to private arbitration.
— Bye Wig Hello Drama (@HousewivesHub) March 10, 2026
Leah McSweeney sued Andy Cohen, Bravo, NBCUniversal, Shed Media, and Warner Bros. Discovery in 2024,… pic.twitter.com/01MGHHonTD
RHONY: Judge Rejects Bravo’s Attempt to Move Case Behind Closed Doors
Leah McSweeney from RHONY will continue her lawsuit against Bravo in federal court. A judge denied Bravo’s request to move the case to private arbitration.
Bravo’s lawyers requested the court to send the dispute to arbitration. This would keep the proceedings private.
But the judge shut that down.
Court documents show that the defendants delayed too long in asking for arbitration. They had already contested parts of the case in federal court.
The judge made it clear the strategy would not work.
“Arbitration is not a fallback position,” the ruling stated.
He also added that a party cannot “have its cake and eat it too.”
Leah McSweeney’s lawsuit against Andy Cohen and Bravo will now move to public court.
RHONY: Leah McSweeney Speaks Out After Court Win
Leah McSweeney, a former star of Real Housewives of New York City, shared the legal win on Instagram. This came after the ruling.
She admitted the lawsuit has been exhausting.
“I don’t talk about this much because it’s emotionally and mentally draining,” she said.
But the court decision was something she felt needed acknowledgment.
“When I first filed this lawsuit a lot of people said my claims would never hold up in court,” she explained.
She also pointed out that the defendants tried multiple strategies to shut the case down.
“For more than two years the defendants have tried to have the case dismissed and later tried to force it into private arbitration.”
Now the judge has rejected that request.
“The case stays public and in federal court,” she confirmed.
RHONY: Inside Leah McSweeney’s Lawsuit Against Bravo
Leah McSweeney filed a lawsuit against Bravo and Andy Cohen in February 2024. She claims the network fostered a toxic work environment while she was on The Real Housewives of New York City.
Her complaint includes several serious allegations.
She says producers took advantage of her alcohol addiction struggles. They also pushed her to act in ways that might cause a relapse.
She accused the network of discrimination due to her disabilities. They also failed to provide proper accommodations.
In the lawsuit, she claimed that producers pushed her to drink. She said they created a work environment that led to her relapse.
Some claims were dismissed earlier in the case. But others remain active.
The case will now focus on claims of disability discrimination, a hostile work environment, and not providing reasonable accommodations.
RHONY: Andy Cohen Denies the Allegations
Andy Cohen has strongly denied the accusations made in Leah McSweeney’s lawsuit.
His representatives previously called the claims “completely false.”
His legal team demanded a retraction of some allegations. They called these claims “defamatory” and “categorically false.””
The case is moving to the discovery phase. Both sides will ask for internal communications and documents related to the allegations.
Los Angeles–based entertainment writer covering reality TV, celebrity news, and pop culture exclusives.
