• 05
  • May
    2011

The TV sitcom Desperate Housewives has held a spot as one of ABC's hit shows since its premiere in 2004. The program is known for its strong female characters and drama-filled plot line, both of which appear to have spilled off the screen and into the Los Angeles court system. This week, Nicollette Sheridan, formerly one of Desperate Housewives' lead actresses, received approval from a Los Angeles judge to proceed with her employment lawsuit against ABC and the show's executive producer.

Sheridan's suit accuses the defendants of killing off her character on the show after an argument between herself and Desperate Housewives' executive producer. During the argument, Sheridan claims that the producer both physically and sexually assaulted her. While the harassment charges were rejected by the court, a judge declared that Sheridan may sue the company for retaliation, battery, and wrongful termination.

ABC executives and representatives from Desperate Housewives refuted Sheridan's accusations by claiming that her character had been slated for termination long before the infamous argument between the actress and the executive producer. An attorney for the defendants claims that the decision to kill off Sheridan's character was actually made in 2008-almost a full two years before the actress's contract was terminated.

Retaliatory employment decisions are illegal in California, and workers who believe they have been punished unfairly by their employer have the legal right to sue for compensation. During the upcoming trial scheduled for early June, a jury will decide whether or not the Network's decision to kill off Sheridan's character was based on retaliation or was truly part of the show's long-term plan.

Source: Seattle Times, "Judge clears 'Housewives' firing lawsuit for trial." Anthony McCartney, 3 May 2011