A judge has ordered former talk-show host Wendy Williams to sit for a deposition in a lawsuit filed by her court-appointed guardian against A&E Television Networks, despite a diagnosis of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, according to court documents obtained by People.
The ruling, issued Sept. 15, requires Williams to give a "de bene esse" deposition — a proceeding taken in anticipation of future need — on Nov. 4. The judge wrote that Williams' "condition does not insulate her from providing testimony in this case" and noted that the Federal Rules of Evidence do not impose a "requirement of mental ability" for witnesses, leaving it to a jury to weigh the deposition testimony.
Williams was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in May 2023, a year after a court placed her under a guardianship that now oversees her finances and health. Her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, filed a lawsuit in February 2024 against A&E and Lifetime over the documentary "Where Is Wendy Williams?" which aired that month. Morrissey's suit alleges that producers exploited Williams, who she said "did not have the capacity to consent," by filming scenes that showed Williams drinking vodka in bed and experiencing panic attacks.
A&E has denied wrongdoing and filed counterclaims, arguing Morrissey exceeded her authority and improperly sought to alter the documentary. The network has said there is no law prohibiting a documentary about a person with dementia and accused the guardian of attempting to infringe the company’s First Amendment rights. In its counterclaim, A&E also contended that Morrissey's actions sought to deny Williams an opportunity "to honestly reach her fans in exactly the frank and unfiltered manner that was the hallmark of her career."
The judge also extended a stay on legal proceedings against A&E while a separate challenge to Williams' guardianship is reviewed. The court ordered the parties to submit a joint letter by Nov. 5 detailing the status of that guardianship case, which will determine whether Williams still requires a guardianship and whether Morrissey should remain in that role or be replaced.
Williams was placed under guardianship after Wells Fargo froze her accounts in 2022 following concerns raised by a financial adviser. She is reportedly living in an assisted-living facility. Despite her health and legal struggles, Williams has made several public appearances during New York Fashion Week this month, drawing attention and media coverage.
The deposition order was reported by the Daily Mail, which said it had reached out to Williams' attorney, Joe Tacopina, and to Morrissey for comment; neither had responded as of the reports. The February complaint by Morrissey described the documentary as "blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition," while A&E characterized Morrissey's legal effort as meritless and contrary to Williams' interests.
Legal experts note that de bene esse depositions are customary when a witness' health or memory may decline, allowing testimony to be preserved for trial. The court's decision emphasizes that questions about a witness's cognitive state typically go to the weight of testimony rather than its admissibility, leaving assessment of credibility to jurors.
The next procedural milestones in the dispute include the Nov. 4 deposition and the Nov. 5 joint letter on guardianship status. The outcome of the guardianship review could affect the broader litigation, including who has authority to make decisions for Williams and whether prior consents to media projects were valid under the constraints of her legal incapacity claims.