Actress Zooey Deschanel has reportedly been ordered to appear in court for a settlement hearing in her lawsuit involving a horse.
Patty Parker, the owner of Literati, sued the New Girl star in 2014, claiming she overworked the animal after leasing him for a ride in 2013.
Parker claimed Deschanel paid $13,000 to participate in a riding competition, and prior to the event, the actress signed a contract promising not to stress the stallion. The contract had a number of restrictions for the horse, including “no more than three jumping lessons per week”.
When Literati was returned the plaintiff alleges her horse was “injured and unusable”, and needed serious medical attention to fix a series of injuries.
The horse owner is seeking damages for veterinarian bills and other costs incurred.
According to TMZ, Deschanel has asked a judge to let her dodge a mandatory settlement conference because she’s too busy. The judge has since denied her request and ordered her to appear in court.
