A critical procedural hearing has been scheduled for June 18 in the civil lawsuit brought by the family of Emily Willis, the former adult performer and OnlyFans creator who has allegedly been left permanently disabled following an incident at a Malibu addiction treatment center in early 2024.

Emily Willis was 25 when she entered Summit Malibu, a private rehabilitation clinic, to seek help for what her family describes as a life-threatening addiction to ketamine. Court filings state that she had been using up to six grams of the drug daily, an amount the complaint characterizes as potentially fatal.

Shortly after being admitted, Emily Willis suffered a cardiac arrest while unattended. Emergency responders performed CPR for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, but the prolonged lack of oxygen to her brain caused what her legal team describes as “extensive and irreversible brain damage.” According to the complaint, she is now in a near-vegetative state.

The civil lawsuit, filed by Willis’s mother, names both Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers LLC, as defendants. It accuses them of:

• Abuse of a dependent adult
• Professional negligence
• General negligence
• Fraudulent business practices

“This is not a case of minor oversight,” said attorney James A. Morris Jr., who is representing the family. “Emily’s injuries stem from a total systemic failure in care—failures that no patient in a licensed medical setting should ever experience.”

At the June 18 hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, the defendants will argue two preliminary motions: a Demurrer, which asserts that even if all allegations are true, the claims lack legal grounds; and a Motion to Strike, requesting the court remove specific allegations deemed irrelevant or inappropriate. If successful, these motions could either limit the case or lead to its partial or full dismissal before discovery even begins.

The court will also hold a Case Management Conference to assess the complexity of the case, establish deadlines, and explore the potential for settlement or mediation.

The outcome of these proceedings could significantly shape the future of the case. If the court rejects the motions, the defendants would be compelled to formally answer the allegations, moving the case into the evidence-gathering phase.

Emily Willis was one of the most recognizable figures in adult entertainment before her sudden and tragic withdrawal from the public eye. Her situation has sparked wider concerns about oversight in high-end addiction treatment facilities, especially those that market themselves as elite but may operate with limited regulation.

Legal observers suggest the case could establish new benchmarks for the obligations of private rehabilitation centers in California, particularly when treating patients with complex and acute needs. The hearing in June is expected to be a pivotal step in determining whether those arguments will ultimately be heard before a jury.

Further updates are anticipated following the court’s rulings next month.