A former writer on the hit CBS legal drama Matlock is locked in a bitter legal battle with the network, and the fight just got much louder. John H. Lowe III, who worked as an executive story editor on the show’s first season, sued CBS Studios and three top producers in June 2026. He claims the writers’ room was a hostile place full of racist and sexually explicit comments aimed at him and other Black staff.
CBS is not backing down. On September 10, 2026, the studio filed a motion in Los Angeles Superior Court to throw the lawsuit out. The network calls Lowe’s claims “fabrications and outright lies” and says it stands fully behind its producers. The legal move sets up a high-stakes showdown over what really happened behind the scenes of one of television’s most-watched new shows.
Who Is John Lowe and What Does He Claim
Lowe was hired in October 2023 to work on the first season of the Matlock reboot, which stars Kathy Bates as a retired lawyer who returns to work at a powerful law firm. Before Matlock, Lowe had written for Netflix’s Virgin River and worked in casting on reality shows like Survivor and Project Runway.
In his lawsuit, Lowe says he faced repeated racist and sexual comments from showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman and executive producers Nicki Renna and Jeffrey Lieber. The complaint describes a writers’ room “permeated by sexually explicit and discriminatory conduct.”
Some of the specific claims include:
- Urman allegedly referred to Juneteenth as “Coonteenth” when Lowe asked if the writers’ room would observe the holiday.
- Renna allegedly said Black cast member Eme Ikwuakor “can barely read.”
- Renna allegedly called Lowe late at night and told him she was in bed wearing only her underwear.
- Producers allegedly made comments about Lowe’s body and genitalia, linking his shoe size and race to being “well-endowed down there.”
- Urman allegedly brought her dog into the writers’ room and pressured Lowe into keeping it for nearly a year, saying her children “didn’t like the aesthetic” of the dog’s black color.
Lowe says he was fired in July 2024 – about two weeks after he reported the Juneteenth comment. His lawsuit calls the firing retaliatory.
“There is no excuse for this blatant racism and harassment. CBS should be ashamed for allowing it, and the Matlock showrunner and producers should be held accountable,” said Ron Zambrano, Lowe’s attorney, in a statement when the suit was filed.
CBS Fires Back With a Motion to Strike
CBS Studios filed its response under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, a law meant to protect free speech and creative decisions from frivolous lawsuits. The studio argues that not renewing Lowe’s contract was a creative decision about a show, not illegal retaliation.
The network’s motion includes signed declarations from Urman, Renna, and Lieber, all denying Lowe’s allegations. Urman stated she “never used that word” regarding Juneteenth and called Lowe’s claim “made up.” The producers also dispute the dog story, saying it wasn’t Urman’s dog and she never placed it on Lowe’s lap or commented on its color.
CBS also points to a different timeline. The studio says Lowe worked on Matlock from October 2023 to July 2024 – about nine months – not until July 2025, as his complaint stated. CBS claims he was on a week-to-week contract that was simply not renewed due to performance issues.
“We take allegations of discrimination and harassment very seriously,” a CBS Studios spokesperson said. “Today, with the filing of our motion to strike, we took our first step toward challenging the baseless complaint filed by former Matlock writer John Lowe. As stated in the motion and following a thorough investigation, we are confident that Lowe’s accusations are demonstrably inaccurate and maliciously fabricated, and will not allow them to go unchallenged.”
The motion goes further, calling Lowe’s lawsuit a “grotesque work of fiction” and claiming he was never subjected to race or sex harassment. CBS says Lowe only raised concerns about the workplace after being told his contract would not be extended.
Lowes Attorney Calls CBS Move a Stall Tactic
Lowe’s legal team is not backing down either. Attorney Ron Zambrano told Entertainment Weekly that CBS’s anti-SLAPP motion has “little to no viability” and accused the studio of trying to delay the case.
“Ironically, I sent notices just last week to depose everyone involved at CBS, including HR, and soon after, they filed this motion, asking for a July 2027 hearing, effectively pausing all depositions and any more movement with the case for about 10 months until this is resolved,” Zambrano said. “CBS is merely afraid of the truth coming out and is using this as a stall tactic but I’m confident we will prevail.”
The attorney also argued that the lawsuit has nothing to do with the creative process of a legal show, so it should not be protected under anti-SLAPP rules. A hearing on the motion is not expected until 2027, meaning the legal fight could stretch on for many months.
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Background: A Troubled Production
The lawsuit is not the first sign of trouble on the Matlock set. In September 2025, co-star David Del Rio was fired after an internal investigation into a sexual misconduct allegation made by his co-star Leah Lewis. Del Rio filed an arbitration claim against CBS in March 2026.
Matlock itself has been a success for CBS. The show’s second season finished on April 23, 2026, and it was renewed for a third season in January 2026. However, the third season will not air in the fall 2026 lineup – it is set to return in early 2027.
For now, Lowe’s lawsuit and CBS’s motion to dismiss are moving through the courts. No trial date has been set.
Also Read: Matlock Season 3 Time Jump Confirmed: Creator Explains 6-9 Month Skip and Creative Reset
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