A judge has rejected a legal challenge of a Toronto actress鈥� sexual assault lawsuit against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, his former assistant and two entertainment companies.

The decision delivered on Friday means the lawsuit, which alleges Weinstein sexually assaulted the actress nearly two decades ago, will proceed without changes to the woman鈥檚 statement of claim.

The challenge to the suit was launched by Weinstein鈥檚 former assistant, Barbara Schneeweiss, who argued that claims concerning her were not necessarily in relation to any alleged sexual assault and consequently were subject to a statute of limitations that had expired.

The judge who heard the case disagreed.

鈥淎lthough the claims against Schneeweiss are not for the sexual assaults themselves, they all involve civil liability for actions that relate directly to Weinstein鈥檚 (alleged) sexual assaults,鈥� Justice Patrick Monohan wrote.

The Toronto actress behind the lawsuit, who cannot be named, alleged Schneeweiss set up a meeting between her and Weinstein in 2000, despite having some degree of knowledge that it might lead to a sexual assault. The actress鈥檚 statement of claim alleges Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her without consent at that meeting.

Later, when the actress went with her agent and a friend to meet with Weinstein, expecting an apology, Schneeweiss allegedly conspired to get the actress in a room with Weinstein alone, at which point he attempted to stick his tongue down her throat, according to the woman鈥檚 statement of claim.

None of the allegations in the lawsuit, which also names entertainment companies Miramax and Disney as defendants, have been proven in court and no statements of defence have been filed in the case.

Under Ontario law, a plaintiff generally has two years from the time of an alleged incident to sue someone, but legislation passed in 2016 abolished any time limitation for filing a lawsuit for a matter relating to sexual violence or harassment.

Weinstein, an Oscar-winning film producer, faces sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations from several women.

On Oct. 8, he was fired from the Weinstein Company - the film studio he co-founded with his brother in 2005 - days after the New York Times published a story detailing some of the allegations against him. Weinstein鈥檚 representative Sallie Hofmeister has said Weinstein denies all allegations of non-consensual sex.

Peter Goffin, The Canadian Press