Everything to know about the long-awaited Steven Tyler rape trial
The Los Angeles Superior Court has set a jury trial for May 3, 2027, in Julia Misley’s civil lawsuit against Steven Tyler, case 22TRCV01604. The date matters because a sixth judge now controls the scope of the case and may restore claims that were previously narrowed to a single California incident.
Case background and allegations
Misley, then known as Julia Holcomb, filed the action in December 2022 under California’s Child Victims Act. She alleges that Tyler, then 25, met her after an Aerosmith concert in Portland in 1973, obtained guardianship from her mother, and maintained a sexual relationship with her until she was 19. The complaint states the relationship involved travel among Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and California, and that Misley became pregnant in 1975, later obtaining an abortion under pressure. She claims the conduct caused lasting emotional harm and that she left the relationship in 1976.
Tyler’s response and defenses
Tyler denies the allegations. His attorneys argue that Massachusetts law, which set the age of consent at 16, governs most of the relationship and that any claims arising outside California are time-barred. They maintain that only one incident—in a Beverly Hills hotel in 1974—has a California connection that could survive the statute of limitations.
Procedural history and judge changes
Since filing, the case has been reassigned six times. Judge David Reinert was removed in 2024 after Tyler’s team successfully moved to disqualify him. Judge Tamara Hall stepped aside in 2025. Judge Patricia A. Young took the case in fall 2025 and, on April 28, 2026, denied Tyler’s motion to dismiss the entire suit but ruled that claims tied to conduct outside California could not proceed. Young recused herself in September 2026 after disclosing conversations with the previously disqualified Reinert; the September 2026 trial date was vacated. Judge Lawrence P. Riff, the current presiding judge, was assigned in September 2026.
Status of prior rulings and scope of review
At a November 9, 2026 hearing, Judge Riff stated he would reconsider Young’s April orders if either party requested review by November 20, using only the existing record. Tyler’s counsel opposed reopening the decision, arguing there is no evidence Young consulted Reinert about it. Riff indicated a hearing on the out-of-state claims is likely in January 2027. The review could determine whether the lawsuit returns to its broader original scope or remains limited to the single California incident.
Remaining uncertainties
No criminal charges have been filed. The trial date is firm unless further continuances occur. The final scope of claims that reach the jury depends on Judge Riff’s January ruling and any subsequent appeals. The outcome will rest on which version of events the jury finds credible and on the legal boundaries set by California’s Child Victims Act.
