Justin Roiland, the co-creator of the popular Adult Swim show Rick and Morty, has been accused of domestic violence in Orange County, California. The felony stems from a 2020 incident for which the voice actor and the writer appeared in court this Thursday.  

While it was a pre-trial hearing, Roiland has pleaded not guilty. Speaking to the press, the 42-year-old’s lawyer, T. Edward Welbourn, released a statement saying, “We look forward to clearing Justin’s name and helping him move forward as swiftly as possible.”   

According to NBC news, the criminal complaint accuses Roiland of one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury, along with one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, and/or deceit. Back in 2020, Roiland pleaded not guilty to both charges, however, the case has been subjected to more than a dozen court hearings without a trial date being set. As per the same publication, Roiland was arrested and released on a $50,000 bond in August 2020.  

The accuser has not been revealed yet and is only referred to as “Jane Doe” who as per the police officers, “was in a dating relationship” with Roiland at the time. They further added that Roiland’s action has resulted in a traumatic condition for the victim.  

A restraining order was filed against the 42-year-old, under which Roiland was required to keep a distance of 100ft away from the accuser at all times. He was also asked to turn over any firearms he possesses. If found guilty, Roiland could potentially face jail time of more than 7 years.  

Adult Swim is yet to make an official statement as of yet.