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Matlock Season 3 is thankfully confirmed and on the way, though it won’t arrive until after the 2026 TV lineup has entirely concluded, with a premiere coming to CBS’ midseason schedule. Unfortunately, the legal drama is currently dealing with a lawsuit from a former writer alleging racially and sexually charged harassment went down behind the scenes.
Why The Matlock Lawsuit Was FIled
Former writer John Lowe worked on Matlock between October 2023 and July 2025, at which point he was terminated. Lowe, a Black man, is claiming that his firing was a retaliatory effort made by producers after he reported showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman for allegedly referring to the holiday Juneteenth as "Coonteenth." The firing came two weeks after the report was filed.
That claim was made in the lawsuit Lowe filed against CBS Television Studios, executive producers Nicki Renna and Jeffrey Lieber, as well as Urman herself. Per Variety, the former employee purported that the set became a "hostile work environment" due to "racially stereotyped comments" were made about his body and genitals, comments that Lowe claims were also made about other Black cast and crew members.
The lawsuit notes several incidents that Lowe claims were racially charged, and he alleges that the showrunner brought a black dog into the writers room and claimed that her children "didn't like the aesthetic," and further stated that he was talked into taking care of the dog for almost a year. He feels that the shift in pet ownership was a "racially motivated" move that was meant to humiliate him in front of other staff members.
Lowe also specifically claims EP Nikki Renna has stated that co-star Eme Ikwuakor "can barely read," and also claimed the same EP gave him a personal call late at night to tell him that he was "in bed wearing only her underwear."
How CBS Responded To The Matlock Lawsuit
For its part, CBS Studios is holding the stance that the allegations John Lowe laid against his employers were previously investigated, and it was determined that the claims he made could not be substantiated.
A network spokesperson shared the following statement:
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 vigorously defending this lawsuit.
This isn’t the first time Matlock has been in the middle of a legal battle. Former star David Del Rio was fired in October 2025 over a sexual assault allegation reported by co-star Leah Lewis. Del Rio later hired legal representation, and in March 2026, took legal action against CBS over the termination.
The first two seasons of Matlock can be streamed via Paramount+ subscription.
