Rick & Morty creator Justin Roiland has been charged with felony domestic violence in Orange County, California over an incident that allegedly happened in 2020. According to NBC News, he appeared in court on Thursday for a pre-trial hearing, despite having already pleaded not guilty back in 2020. In a statement, one of Roiland’s attorneys wrote that his client is innocent and he expects the case will be dismissed.

The criminal complaint in the case charges Roiland with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit. The incident allegedly occurred on 19 January 2020, against an anonymous Jane Doe who was dating Roiland at the time.

According to Orange County Superior Court records, Roiland pleaded not guilty to both charges back in October 2020. Roiland was arrested and released on a US$50,000 bond in August 2020 and arraigned in October 2020. A protective order filed in October 2020 states that Roiland is not to harass, threaten or surveil the person that was allegedly abused. Roiland cannot go within 100 feet of the person, according to the order, which also ordered Roiland to turn in any firearms he owned or possessed. The order lasts until October 2023.

The next trial hearing is set to take place on 27 April 2023.

Rick & Morty Season 6 recently concluded after premiering in September 2022, and a new seventh season is already in development.  Roiland also co-created and voiced the main character in Hulu’s Solar Opposites, which premiered in 2020 and was renewed for a fifth season in October 2022. Most recently, he was also involved in Hulu’s Koala Man series, which debuted in January 2023. Roiland also released game High On Life in 2022 via his studio Squanch Games.