Justin Roiland

2023 - 1 - 12

Post cover — Image courtesy of "GameLuster"

'High On Life' Creator Justin Roiland Faces Domestic Violence ... (GameLuster)

High on Life, Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland has been charged with felony domestic violence charges in Orange County, California.

This news comes after the recent release of High on Life on December 13th, 2022, which is a comedic FPS game created by Roiland and developed and published by Squanch Games. All details and evidence of this case, such as body-cam footage and medical reports, are not made known to the public: neither is the affidavit against Roiland. This comes after a criminal complaint was filed against him in May 2020, after an incident took place in that same year.

Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland facing domestic assault charges (BBC News)

Justin Roiland, 42, has pleaded not guilty to felony domestic battery and false imprisonment charges.

He formally pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2020. But he did not provide any further details. The incident allegedly occurred on or around 19 January 2020, according to documents obtained by NBC News.

Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland awaiting trial on domestic ... (The Guardian)

Roiland, who voices two of the animated TV show's characters and created video game High on Life, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A trial date has not been set. Roiland and Dan Harmon created the animated sci-fi sitcom about a mad scientist and his grandson, both voiced by Roiland. Emails seeking comment from Roiland’s attorney and representatives for Cartoon Network, which airs Rick and Morty, were not immediately returned.

RICK AND MORTY Co-Creator Justin Roiland Charged With Felony ... (Toonado.com)

Justin Roiland, co-creator of the adult animated series Rick and Morty, has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of domestic battery and false ...

More recently, Roiland released the video game High on Life which was developed through his studio Squanch Games and released in late 2022. The identity of the person named in the protective order is not known to NBC News or the general media. There was also a protective order filed in October 2020 which states that Roiland is not to harass, threaten or surveil the person named in the protective order.

Justin Roiland's felony domestic violence charges, summarized (Polygon)

High on Life and Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland is facing felony domestic violence charges related to a 2020 incident.

High on Life debuted in December 2022 and quickly became a huge success — it was the [biggest Game Pass launch](https://www.polygon.com/23519406/high-on-life-xbox-game-pass-most-popular-pc) of the year. Roiland voices both of the titular characters, Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith. NBC News also reported that a protective order was filed against Roiland in October 2020, but it’s not immediately clear who filed the order. The Rick and Morty co-creator was arrested in August 2020 and released on a $50,000 bond. Roiland has been charged with two felonies: one count of “domestic battery with corporal injury” and one count of “false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, and/or deceit,” according to court records. Roiland was in court Thursday for a pretrial hearing.

Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland awaits domestic violence trial (The Jerusalem Post)

Media outlets did not pick up on the 2020 charges until Roiland's appearance at a pre-trial hearing this past Thursday.

The show has aired for six seasons and has been renewed for a seventh by Cartoon Network as a part of a larger 70-episode deal. The order, which is in effect until October 2023, also forced Roiland to surrender all firearms in his possession. He was arrested, released on bond in August 2020, and arraigned in October 2020, when he pleaded not guilty to both charges.