Life has not been easy for former porn star Emily Willis. She will never be the same, nor will she probably ever live a normal life ever again.

Her family, however, is fighting for her rights on her behalf. The case, however, encountered a minor setback last week.

A California judge has given the mother of former adult star Emily Willis a 30-day deadline to revise her legal complaint against Summit Malibu, the rehab facility where Willis suffered a cardiac arrest that left her permanently disabled.

Emily Willis entered treatment for ketamine addiction at the Malibu-based center in January 2024. According to the lawsuit, her condition worsened over several days, with symptoms including tremors, disorientation, and extreme pain allegedly ignored by staff. Emergency services were called on February 3, but Willis was reportedly not taken to a hospital. Over a day later, she was found unconscious. After 30–40 minutes of CPR, she was revived but suffered irreversible brain damage.

Her family is now suing Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, LLC, for professional negligence, abuse of a dependent adult, and fraudulent business practices.

At a June 18 hearing, Judge Mark A. Young of the Santa Monica Superior Court ruled that the lawsuit, as filed, lacked sufficient detail to proceed. Specifically, the complaint failed to clearly demonstrate that Summit had formally undertaken responsibility for Willis as a dependent adult or that their conduct rose to the level of recklessness required under elder abuse statutes.

“Plaintiffs must allege additional facts to establish that defendants’ care rose to the level of recklessness,” Judge Young wrote in his tentative ruling. He noted that the filing relied heavily on conclusions rather than specific facts, and lacked clarity on the custodial relationship and legal duty of care.

Emily Willis’ family has until mid-July to amend their complaint with more detailed allegations, including:

• How Willis qualified as a dependent adult
• The extent of Summit Malibu’s custodial responsibility
• Specific instances demonstrating reckless or neglectful behavior

Failure to revise the complaint with adequate legal and factual support could result in dismissal of the case.

Now 26, Emily Willis was declared permanently disabled following the incident. She was in a vegetative coma for nearly three months and is now under home care in Utah, where she lives with her mother. According to her attorney, James A. Morris, she has regained limited movement and shows some signs of responsiveness, but her mental capacity remains uncertain.

The legal team is also investigating the possibility of locked-in syndrome, though no diagnosis has been confirmed.

“Her physical condition is not good, her mental condition is unknown, but she’s still here,” said Morris. “That in itself says something about her resilience and desire to live.”

Emily Willis retired from the adult industry in 2022 after appearing in over 700 films, pursuing a career in mainstream entertainment, including a role in the 2023 indie film Divinity. Her family’s lawsuit alleges that her promising new chapter was cut short by Summit Malibu’s failure to act on clear medical warning signs.

In the adult industry, Emily Willis was a superstar and well on her way to being recognized in mainstream as well. That may all be over now. Let us hope that her family can win their lawsuit and give her the long term care she’ll need.