- Attorneys for both parties filed to dismiss a sexual assault lawsuit in Utah.
- The case involves BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff and an anonymous Salt Lake woman.
- Retzlaff denies allegations, plans to transfer after potential suspension for honor code breach.
PROVO — Attorneys from both parties of a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault and rape against BYU's starting quarterback, which stemmed from an incident in 2023, filed a motion to dismiss the case Monday morning in Utah's 3rd District Court.
The motion for joint dismissal with prejudice was presented Monday to judge Coral Sanchez by attorneys from both Jake Retzlaff and the anonymous plaintiff, a Salt Lake woman dubbed Jane Doe AG, according to court documents obtained by KSL.
Both parties will bear their own costs and attorney's fees, according to the motion for dismissal submitted.
"It's just a matter of time before the judge signs it, but effectively this case is over," KSL NewsRadio legal analyst Greg Skordas said.
The motion for dismissal was signed shortly before 10 a.m. MDT.
The woman accused Retzlaff of sexually assaulting her during an incident in November 2023 when the then-first year quarterback at BYU allegedly invited her to his apartment in Provo. With details of the incident, the woman described how Retzlaff bit her lip and left a cut, then "put his hands around her neck," according to charging documents for the civil lawsuit.
The lawsuit sought more than $300,000 in damages for "emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, mental distress, anxiety and other damages."
The lawsuit added the alleged victim attempt to report the encounter to Provo police, but was discouraged from doing so. Provo police denied the claim through a spokesperson.
"From everything we have reviewed, this is not true," the department said in a statement.
"She was treated with courtesy and care," the statement added. "The complainant in that case was given several opportunities to identify her abuser. She declined to do so, as is her right, and the case was subsequently closed."
Retzlaff, too, denied the allegations of assault in a legal response through his attorneys filed Friday in 3rd District Court. In the 14-page filing, the quarterback referred to the encounter as a "entirely consensual evening together" after playing video games.
In his response, Retzlaff referred to the lawsuit as an extortion attempt.
But in so doing, Retzlaff admitted to engaging in premarital sex, a violation of BYU's honor code that all students commit to live upon attending the university. Among other things, the code requires students to "live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman."
Faced with a multi-game suspension of as many as seven games as first reported Sunday by ESPN, Retzlaff began informing teammates and coaches that he was planning to transfer.
His ultimate destination is unknown. But sources told KSL.com that they expect Retzlaff to make his destination known by the end of the week, once the lawsuit is cleared.
Retzlaff graduated in April with a degree in exercise and wellness, and would have one season of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and running for another 417 yards and six scores while leading the Cougars to an 11-2 record and No. 13 ranking in the final Associated Press Top 25.
