CBS Studios has filed a motion in Los Angeles Superior Court to strike a lawsuit brought by former "Matlock" writer John Lowe, using California's anti-SLAPP statute. The suit, filed earlier this summer against CBS Studios and executive producers Jennie Snyder Urman, Nicki Renna and Jeffrey Lieber, accused the trio of making racially stereotyped and sexually charged comments that created a hostile work environment for Lowe and other Black cast and crew members. CBS has fully backed its producers, calling Lowe's claims "demonstrably inaccurate and maliciously fabricated" and vowing to challenge them rather than let them stand.

The studio's filing included declarations from Urman, Renna, Lieber and other witnesses disputing several specific allegations, including that Urman used a racist term for Juneteenth, made comments about a dog's colour being tied to race, or that Renna made derogatory remarks about a Black cast member or contacted Lowe with inappropriate comments. Urman also stated that in January 2026, some 18 months after Lowe left the show in July 2024, he emailed her demanding $10,000, which she reported to HR before Lowe's own complaint was filed. Lowe's attorney said he had not yet been served the motion and remained confident of successfully opposing it, while CBS had already dismissed the allegations as meritless following an internal investigation back in June.