David Del Rio, the 38-year-old actor, has formally commenced arbitration proceedings against CBS Studios in the wake of his dismissal from the television drama series Matlock. This legal action follows his termination last October, which occurred after his 29-year-old co-star, Leah Lewis, alleged that he assaulted her on the Paramount studios lot.
Legal Battle Over Allegations
In a statement provided to the Daily Mail on Wednesday, Del Rio's attorney, Shawn Holley, declared, 'David Del Rio has initiated arbitration against CBS Studios to address false and misleading allegations that caused substantial professional and reputational harm.' Holley emphasised that Del Rio intends to present real-time text communications and other evidence that she claims directly contradicts prior public characterisations of the interaction in question.
Holley further asserted that this evidence was 'not fully considered' before CBS Studios made the decision to fire Del Rio. 'Mr. Del Rio looks forward to resolving this matter through the appropriate legal forum and has faith that a full evidentiary review will establish the truth and restore his professional reputation,' she added.
Background of the Incident
Del Rio was escorted off the Paramount lot and terminated from the Matlock reboot in October 2025, following Lewis's allegations that he sexually assaulted her. Del Rio has consistently denied this claim. The Daily Mail has reached out to a representative for Leah Lewis for comment, while CBS Studios has declined to respond to inquiries regarding the arbitration.
Although CBS Studios reopened an internal investigation into the matter, the network ultimately did not reverse its decision to dismiss Del Rio. A source familiar with the situation informed TMZ that additional evidence obtained by Del Rio's legal team will be presented during the arbitration process.
Details of the Investigation
The source revealed that Del Rio 'fully cooperated' in both the initial and reopened investigations. Despite this cooperation, he was not reinstated, even though CBS reportedly downgraded the characterisation of the claims from sexual assault to unwelcome sexual conduct. The insider also alleged that CBS requested Del Rio to remain silent and refrain from contacting his representatives or legal team during the investigative process.
However, a source close to the studio has rejected the claim that Del Rio was denied representation. Last month, it was reported that Del Rio sought the release of the findings from CBS's reopened sexual assault case against him.
Reopened Probe and Aftermath
The case was revisited in November through an internal investigation, during which Del Rio asserted that he provided evidence proving his innocence. In November, Del Rio was interviewed by network investigators, with his lawyer present. Other individuals connected to the incident were also interviewed as part of the reopened probe, according to sources who spoke to TMZ last year.
Following the allegation and prior to his official ouster, insiders reported that Del Rio was escorted off the premises. CBS Studios subsequently confirmed that his character, Billy Martinez, would be written out of storylines for the second half of season two. At that time, an insider indicated that filming had resumed after a brief hiatus.
Personal and Professional Context
Del Rio's lawyer, Shawn Holley, has a notable history of representing high-profile clients, including Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, and Lindsay Lohan. Amid this ongoing drama, Matlock—which premiered in September 2024—has been renewed for a third season.
In the aftermath of Lewis's allegation, Del Rio has reportedly relied on the support of his wife, Katherine Del Rio. The couple, who married in April 2018, share two young daughters: Lillian, aged two, and Coco, aged one. Last fall, Del Rio made an unexpected appearance on Instagram as his wife shared a family photo featuring him and their children, with a caption expressing gratitude for her family.
Meanwhile, Leah Lewis took to Instagram following her allegations against her co-star, posting a photo alongside her mother with a caption that read, 'Mom is here, we're moving forward in love and strength. I'm in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we're moving forward in strength. Key word, strength.'
