A lawsuit was filed in a California state court last week against country star Garth Brooks. The plaintiff, who is listed pseudonymously as “Jane Roe,” claims to have been a makeup artist and hairstylist for the singer.

Ms. Roe filed a suit accusing Mr. Brooks of rape, sexual assault, and battery. The complaint also alleges that Mr. Brooks repeatedly discussed sex and his fantasies with the plaintiff and also showed her his genitals and buttocks numerous times. In court documents the plaintiff said that Mr. Brooks sent her sexually explicit texts, although it is not known at this time if this alleged evidence is available.

The plaintiff also claims to have been raped on a business trip by Mr. Brooks in 2019.

Mr. Brooks denies all allegations, and said in part in a statement, “For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars.”

In response to Mr. Brooks’ statement, the plaintiff’s attorney told CNN,

“We are very confident in our case and over time the public will see his true character rather than his highly curated persona.” The attorney also added that the “suggestion made by Brooks that he was unwilling to pay millions is simply not true.”

The complaint says that Ms. Roe worked for the award-winning singer starting in 2017. However, prior to working directly for Mr. Brooks, the plaintiff says she worked for his wife, superstar Trisha Yearwood, since 1999.

In court documents, Brooks’ accuser alleged numerous instances of sexual abuse, such as when she was working for the star in his home and Mr. Brooks came “out of the shower naked…,grabbed her hands and forced them” to touch his genitals, while using sexual and “vulgar” language.

In the rape accusation against Mr. Brooks included in court documents, the accuser said he raped her during a work trip to Los Angeles for his Grammy tribute performance, in a hotel room. The suit alleges that Mr. Brooks appeared in the hotel doorway to the bedroom and was “completely naked,” making Roe feel “trapped in the room alone with Brooks.”

In court documents the accusations state, “With cold disregard for Ms. Roe, when Brooks was finished, it was business as usual. Ms. Roe worked quickly to style his hair and do his make-up for the event so he was on time.”

For celebrities and common folk alike, there are laws as to what evidence to prove rape can be used in court. For plaintiffs, establishing the general criminal intent required for first-degree sexual assault can be daunting. In a criminal court, charges of rape under California Penal Code 261 must “be proven beyond a reasonable doubt” that the alleged rapist subjected another person to nonconsensual sexual intercourse, whether through force, threats or other means, such as trick or fraud.

In a civil matter such as the complaint filed by the plaintiff in this case, the plaintiff has the burden to prove the facts “by a preponderance of the evidence,” including proving the forcible act was taken against the victim’s will.

The testimony of a victim is admissible in court, and if there is a witness to any loud cries for help, etc., that testimony is also allowed in court. Beyond party or witness testimony, the plaintiff could offer both direct and circumstantial evidence.

Simultaneously, when a party accuses a celebrity of rape, the defendant’s attorneys will most likely claim the plaintiff is looking for a payoff, in exchange for not speaking publicly about the allegations.

In this case, the country music star said that “hush money” led him to file his own suit against his accuser.

“Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of — ugly acts no human should ever do to another,” he added. “We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”

Jane Roe and her attorneys deny any attempts at extortion and defamation against Mr. Brooks.

“We are confident that Brooks will be held accountable for his actions,” one of Roe’s attorneys said in a statement sent to and shared publicly by CNN. “We applaud our client’s courage in moving forward with her complaint against Garth Brooks,” the statement continues. “The complaint filed today demonstrates that sexual predators exist not only in corporate America, Hollywood and in the rap and rock and roll industries but also in the world of country music.”

Roe’s lawsuit is seeking monetary and punitive damages, as well as attorney’s fees. Brooks’ lawsuit is seeking the same, along with an official declaration that Roe’s claims are untrue. Both complaints have requested a jury trial.