Case Explained:This article breaks down the legal background, charges, and implications of Case Explained: ‘Take Care of Maya’ case set for 2027 retrial, new allegations filed – Legal Perspective
Court filings reveal Maya Kowalski has made new allegations against the family’s former attorney, weeks after a 2027 retrial date was set in the “Take Care of Maya” case following an appellate court’s reversal of the $208 million verdict.
A new trial date has been set for March 2027 in a case that made national headlines after the Netflix documentary “Take Care of Maya” premiered ahead of the two-month long jury trial in fall 2023.
The documents state that the new trial is expected to last four to five weeks and will be limited to only a few claims due to the appellate court’s ruling.
When the Second District Court of Appeals reversed the entire verdict in October 2025, it permitted the family to pursue a new trial, but only for Maya’s intentional-infliction-of-emotional-distress (IIED) claim, and the remaining false imprisonment, battery and medical-negligence claims.
In addition to the new trial, Maya Kowalski filed a sworn declaration March 18 which leveled inappropriate behavior accusations against the family’s former attorney, Greg Anderson, whom they dropped in December 2024 after eight years of representation.
Kowalski also alleges that Anderson did not tell her that when she signed an “Advance Funding Loan” agreement, it would limit her ability to make independent decisions in the case including her ability to settle the lawsuit, retry the case, pursue an appeal or retain new counsel.
Calls and a text message to Anderson for comment on Friday went unanswered prior to the publication of this story. A call to his law firm revealed he was traveling, and the firm could not provide comment.
Reporting from The Florida Trident indicates Anderson denies the allegations and he plans to file a response in court sometime next week.
Maya Kowalski and her family sued the St. Petersburg-based Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in 2018 for $220 million following the death of wife and mother Beata Kowalski in January 2017.
Beata Kowalski took her life after child abuse allegations arose against her.
In 2016, the Florida Department of Children and Families opened an investigation that led to then 10-year-old Maya Kowalski being separated from her family.
The family took Maya to the hospital in October 2016 due to a severe stomach ache, which they believed was a relapse of her Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a disorder that impairs the central nervous system and heightens pain sensations.
Hospital staff began to suspect possible child medical abuse after they observed what many testified to as inconsistencies between Maya’s behaviors and her condition. Staff placed calls to the abuse hotline, beginning a more than three-month ordeal for the Kowalski family.
After five long years, the family finally saw their day in court against the not-for-profit hospital.
Following two months of trial, a six-person jury sided with the family, finding the hospital liable on multiple counts.
What are the allegations Maya Kowalski is leveling at her former attorney?
In the two-page declaration, Kowalski states she became increasingly uncomfortable with the tone and content of private communications that Anderson had with her without her father’s knowledge.
She alleges that after turning 18-years-old and breaking up with her boyfriend, Anderson arranged and paid for a hotel room for Kowalski and her friends.
Anderson stayed at the hotel in a separate room and invited Kowalski to stop by.
She states that when she stopped by Anderson’s room, it was apparent that “he had been drinking” and that he asked her to sign a new fee agreement.
After she signed the agreement – which she alleges the fee percentages exceeded what is permitted by the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar – Kowalski claims that Anderson sent two bottles of wine to the room despite Kowalski and her friends being under the legal drinking age.
Kowalski accuses Anderson of making inappropriate comments like encouraging her to be “sexually promiscuous,” telling her she should date older men and providing unsolicited advice about contraception.
Anderson also appeared to encourage Kowalski to “pursue a relationship with his 28-year-old nephew.”
“Greg’s comments about my sexuality, relationships, and social positioning made me uncomfortable,” Kowalski writes in the declaration.
“However, I did not immediately fully appreciate how inappropriate Greg’s interactions and communications were,” Kowalski writes. “As I matured and spoke with other trusted individuals, I came to understand that Greg’s behavior was not appropriate, especially for a lawyer representing a young client.”
More light shed on rift between attorneys
Kowalski’s declaration also sheds further light on the rift formed between Anderson and his former second chair, Nick Whitney.
Whitney filed a motion in July 2024 to withdraw as counsel for the family after he was terminated from Anderson’s law firm, AndersonGlenn. Whitney then joined the Childers Law firm based in Gainesville, before he and Seldon J. Childers filed a motion in December 2024 seeking to replace Anderson as the family’s attorney.
In court filings, Anderson cited a breakdown in communication around Thanksgiving when the Kowalskis “went dark.” In a Dec. 20, 2024, filing, Childers and Whitney sought to replace Anderson as the family’s attorneys. About a month later in 2025, court filing indicated that the motion for substitution of counsel was granted by the appellate judges.
In Maya’s declaration, she states that Anderson prohibited her from speaking with Whitney in July 2024 and asked her to sign an affidavit against Whitney that she believed contained inaccurate statements.
She refused to sign.
“I relied on Greg to provide me with accurate and complete information regarding my case, my finances, and my legal rights,” Kowalski states.
“By the fall of 2024, I no longer felt that Greg was acting in my best interests, I did not trust him, and I became very concerned about his motivations. Because of this, and other reasons, I reached out to Nick despite Greg telling me not to speak with him.”
Gabriela Szymanowska covers the criminal justice, courts and legal system for the Herald-Tribune. Reach out with a news tip to gszymanowska@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.