Discovery Battles and Financial Disputes
One major flashpoint in the case was the $10 million damages figure sought by Twigs. LaBeouf’s legal team publicly questioned the amount, pointing to Twigs’ ongoing career success during the litigation period. They noted her continued music releases in 2020 and 2021, her starring role in the upcoming film The Crow, and high-profile modeling campaigns, including Calvin Klein, as evidence that emotional distress claims were inflated.
Twigs’ attorneys countered these claims, emphasizing that career achievements do not negate emotional trauma. They argued that a person’s financial earnings bear no relation to the psychological impact of abuse and that victims should never have their suffering discounted simply because they continue to work or succeed professionally.
Twigs’ lawyer publicly replied at the time, stating, “While my client was led to believe that LaBeouf was on a path of taking responsibility and working a program, it is clear he intends his pattern of continuing to abuse the victim.” He added, “Any suggestion that FKA Twigs’ emotional distress should be discounted because of any career success is preposterous and discounts the idea that victims should have hope for the future. Logically, without the trauma that she has suffered, I can only imagine the level of success she would have achieved by now.”
The legal teams also clashed over privacy issues related to the disclosure of financial and personal information, a common and sensitive matter in high-stakes civil cases.
