Attorneys for Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs filed a civil suit on Wednesday that seeks a permanent injunction to restrict access to surveillance video and other documents stemming from his May 23 altercation with a woman at his home, according to multiple reports.
The suit was filed in Brown County Circuit Court one day after the Hobart-Lawrence (Wis.) Police Department announced that it had approved the release of certain records, albeit with appropriate redactions, but that a party or parties had appealed that ruling.
Jacobs, 28, pleaded no contest on Sept. 10 to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property during the altercation with the woman.
Jacobs was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine plus court costs on the battery charge. The court deferred the proceedings on the criminal damage to property count for 12 months, at which time it will be dismissed provided successful completion of the terms of the agreement.
Two weeks later, a Brown County judge lifted a temporary seal of the records and left the decision on whether to release any or all of the records to the police department.
The original criminal report indicates that there is surveillance video from Jacobs’ garage that displays segments of the altercation with the woman.
The filing puts a hold on the release of any records or evidence in the case that were not previously available.
According to the lawsuit, which has been obtained by multiple media outlets, Jacobs contends that the woman involved in the altercation has requested “to protect her privacy, dignity, personal security, emotional well-being, and ability to participate safely in the criminal justice process.”
It also argues that “redaction limited to names or faces would not adequately protect” the woman’s identity.
Given that a release of video “could reveal private details” of the interior of the garage, the suit also argues that it could lead to the possibility of robbery — a growing trend in athletes’ homes — and therefore should not be made available.
Tuesday’s announcement by the police department did not indicate whether the surveillance video was part of the documents that it deemed appropriate for public consumption.
The NFL is seeking to obtain the video as part of its internal investigation into the matter. If the league decides to suspend Jacobs, his time served on the exempt list would count toward the suspension.
In 2025, Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games He also had 36 receptions for 282 yards and a score.
Jacobs was placed on the NFL’s Commissioner’s Exempt list on May 29 and cannot practice with the team or attend games.
Signed to a four-year, $48 million deal in 2024, Jacobs is a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2020, 2022, 2024). He also was a first-team All Pro in 2022, when he led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,653 as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders (2019-23).
