Amanda Palmer Civil Lawsuit: Three Dismissals and Pending Appeal

The Amanda Palmer lawsuit was a civil action filed in February 2025 by Scarlett Pavlovich, a former nanny for Palmer and her then-husband Neil Gaiman, accusing Palmer of human trafficking, conspiracy, and negligence for allegedly recruiting Pavlovich into a household where Gaiman sexually abused her. Pavlovich filed three separate federal suits naming Palmer; all three were dismissed or voluntarily dropped between June 2025 and February 2026, and an appeal of the final ruling is now pending in the First Circuit.

What Pavlovich Accused Palmer Of

The complaints alleged that Palmer recruited Pavlovich in 2020, when Pavlovich was 22, economically insecure, and dealing with mental health challenges, by offering her a live-in nanny job on Waiheke Island, New Zealand and encouraging her to leave her existing housing and employment.¹

According to Pavlovich, Palmer already knew of Gaiman’s history of sexual misconduct, having been approached by more than a dozen women about abusive encounters with him, and did not warn her.² The complaint further alleged that Palmer told Gaiman he could not “have” Pavlovich, which the lawsuit characterized as fueling his desire and marking her as a target, and that Palmer suggested Gaiman take Pavlovich to a film after a childcare shift despite the risk.¹

Pavlovich also alleged Palmer and Gaiman withheld her pay for three weeks, leaving her unable to afford food, transportation, or housing, and effectively trapping her in the arrangement.³ When Pavlovich later disclosed the alleged abuse, the complaint said Palmer expressed no surprise, acknowledged similar complaints from other women, and promised to “take care” of her, which the suit framed as an effort to keep her available to Gaiman rather than help her leave. After Pavlovich reported the alleged rapes to New Zealand police, the complaint said Palmer refused to speak with investigators.²

The Three Lawsuits

On February 3, 2025, Pavlovich, a New Zealand citizen, filed three civil suits simultaneously in U.S. federal courts. Her attorneys named Palmer in different combinations across the filings, partly because they were uncertain whether Palmer resided in New York or Massachusetts.¹

Western District of Wisconsin (No. 3:25-cv-00078), against both Gaiman and Palmer. Claims included human trafficking, forced labor, conspiracy, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress against Gaiman, and negligence against Palmer. Jurisdiction over Gaiman rested on his residence and property in Menomonie, Wisconsin.⁴
Southern District of New York (No. 1:25-cv-00969), against Palmer alone, asserting the same trafficking and conspiracy claims plus negligence.⁵
District of Massachusetts (No. 1:25-cv-10263), against Palmer alone with substantially the same claims.⁶

The suits collectively sought at least $7 million in damages, including punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.⁷

How Each Case Ended

New York: Voluntary Dismissal

The New York case ended first. After Pavlovich failed to file proof of service for months, Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil issued an order in May 2025 warning of dismissal with prejudice. Pavlovich then moved to voluntarily dismiss the case without prejudice, and the court granted that request on June 3, 2025.⁵

Wisconsin: Claims Against Palmer Dropped

Pavlovich dropped the claims against Palmer in the Wisconsin case in May 2025, and the litigation continued against Gaiman alone.⁷ On October 3, 2025, U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson dismissed the remaining claims without prejudice on forum non conveniens grounds, ruling that New Zealand was the proper venue because all of the alleged conduct occurred there. “The only connection that Wisconsin or the United States has with this lawsuit is that Gaiman has a residence in this state and he may live here currently,” Peterson wrote.⁸

Massachusetts: Dismissed on Forum Grounds

The Massachusetts case against Palmer was the last to fall. On February 6, 2026, Senior U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton granted Palmer’s motion to dismiss, again on forum non conveniens grounds. Gorton found New Zealand an adequate alternative forum: the conduct happened there, both parties are amenable to New Zealand jurisdiction, and Pavlovich would not be without remedies under New Zealand law, including the Accident Compensation Corporation scheme and the possibility of exemplary damages. Gorton declined to decide whether the civil remedies of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act apply extraterritorially, calling the question unresolved in circuit law.⁹

Palmer’s Response

Before the lawsuits were filed, Palmer’s representative told The Times of London in January 2025 that she was “profoundly disturbed by the allegations that Mr Gaiman has abused several women,” but that her primary concern was her son and she had no comment because of ongoing custody and divorce proceedings.¹⁰

After the suits were filed, Palmer posted on Instagram in early February 2025: “I will not respond to the specific allegations being made against me except to say that I deny the allegations and will respond in due course.”¹¹ She retained retired U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Gertner as her attorney. After the Massachusetts dismissal, Gertner said her client “had done nothing wrong.”¹²

The Pending Appeal and What the Rulings Did Not Decide

On February 11, 2026, Pavlovich filed a notice of appeal of the Massachusetts dismissal. The appeal is docketed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit as case number 26-1151.⁶ No appeal was filed in Wisconsin, and Pavlovich dismissed the New York case herself.

None of the U.S. courts ruled on whether the underlying allegations are true. As Judge Peterson put it in Wisconsin, “the issue before the court is not whether Pavlovich’s allegations are true.”⁸ Separately, Gaiman’s attorneys stated in court filings that New Zealand police had investigated Pavlovich’s assault allegations, found them meritless, and declined to file charges.¹³

1
Courthouse News. Pavlovich v. Palmer Complaint, S.D.N.Y.
2
NBC News. Neil Gaiman Lawsuit Former Nanny
3
The Guardian. Amanda Palmer Denies Claims of Human Trafficking
4
CourtListener. Pavlovich v. Gaiman, W.D. Wis.
5
CourtListener. Pavlovich v. Palmer, S.D.N.Y.
6
CourtListener. Pavlovich v. Palmer, D. Mass.
7
The Guardian. US Judges Dismiss Lawsuits Against Neil Gaiman
8
Locus Magazine. Judge Dismisses Gaiman Lawsuit
9
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Pavlovich v. Palmer, Memorandum and Order
10
Exclaim! Amanda Palmer Responds to Sexual Assault Allegations Against Ex-Husband Neil Gaiman
11
BBC News. Amanda Palmer Denies Allegations in Lawsuit
12
Boston Globe. Judges Toss Civil Suits Against Gaiman, Palmer
13
BBC News. Neil Gaiman Allegations New Zealand Police