A former writer on CBS’ breakout legal drama Matlock is taking the show to court. John Lowe, who served as an executive story editor on the Kathy Bates-led series from October 2023 through July 2025, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against CBS Television Studios, showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, and executive producers Nicki Renna and Jeffrey Lieber, alleging he was fired after raising concerns about a hostile work environment.
The lawsuit, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, claims Lowe was subjected to repeated racist and sexually explicit comments, and that his termination came just 13 days after he reported an incident in which Urman allegedly referred to the Juneteenth holiday using a racial slur.
“It’s vicious in a writers room as a Black creative,” Lowe told THR. “You’re either treated like a threat or a pet.”
What the Lawsuit Alleges
According to the complaint, the hostile environment began early in Lowe’s tenure. He alleges Urman and Lieber made comments sexualizing him in racial terms shortly after he was hired, and that questions about his sexuality and body were a recurring feature of his time on the show.
The filing also details an incident in which Urman brought her dog into the writers’ room and coerced Lowe, who is Black, into caring for it for nearly a year. He says she told him: “As long as you have this dog, you’ll always have a place here.” The lawsuit alleges the demand was racially motivated and designed to single him out.
The alleged conduct extended to Black cast members as well. The complaint states that Renna made a comment about recurring cast member Eme Ikwuakor, who is also Black, that combined a literacy slur with a sexually explicit racial stereotype.
The situation came to a head around Juneteenth 2025, when Lowe asked whether the writers’ room would observe the holiday. Urman allegedly responded by calling it “Coonteenth,” using an anti-Black slur rooted in antebellum racist caricature.
“I had prayed for this moment, to be on a Paramount film set,” Lowe told THR. “She said it on purpose as a way of letting me know that she owns me to a degree.”
Lowe says he spent the following work week crying in empty soundstages. He was placed on hiatus shortly after and terminated in July 2025. The suit alleges his firing was retaliatory.
CBS Studios conducted an internal investigation following Lowe’s exit. In a statement, the studio said: “We are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for everyone and take all workplace complaints seriously. In this instance, a thorough investigation was completed, and we were unable to find support for his allegations. We look forward to defending this lawsuit.”
“There is no excuse for this blatant racism and harassment,” said Lowe’s attorney Ron Zambrano. “CBS should be ashamed for allowing it, and the Matlock showrunner and producers should be held accountable.”
Matlock has been one of CBS’ biggest recent successes, averaging 16 million cross-platform viewers over 35 days in its first season. The series stars Kathy Bates as an aging lawyer who restarts her career at a New York firm, alongside Skye P. Marshall, Leah Lewis, and Jason Ritter.
The lawsuit adds to an already turbulent stretch for the production. Series regular David Del Rio was fired in October 2024 following a sexual assault allegation involving a cast member. Del Rio has since initiated arbitration against CBS Studios, alleging that exculpatory evidence was not fully considered before his termination.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages along with attorneys’ fees. No trial date has been set.