Comedian Kevin Hart is attempting to shift a legal battle with his former best friend, actor Jonathan “JT” Jackson, out of the public eye. Jackson, who is suing Hart over allegations of defamation and emotional distress, claims that the comedian falsely accused him of trying to extort him in relation to cheating allegations.

In a move to avoid a public trial, Hart’s company, Hartbeat LLC, has petitioned the court to transfer the case to arbitration. According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Hartbeat argued that Jackson’s lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, should be settled privately with a sealed outcome. If the case moves to arbitration, the proceedings would be heard by a private judge, with none of the filings made available to the public.

The legal dispute stems from a contract Jackson allegedly signed with Hartbeat LLC in July 2021. The agreement reportedly contained a provision stating that any disputes between the parties must be handled through arbitration, rather than in open court. Hart’s legal team contends that Jackson’s claims—ranging from breach of contract to defamation—fall under the scope of that contract, and should therefore be resolved outside the public domain.

The lawsuit comes after the fallout of cheating allegations against Hart, during which Jackson was accused of attempting to extort his former friend by threatening to release damaging information. Hart publicly stated that Jackson was behind the extortion attempt, a claim Jackson has vehemently denied. He now alleges that Hart’s statements have caused significant emotional distress and harmed his career.

As of now, Jackson has not yet responded to the latest filings.

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