Since the first Purge movie debuted in 2013, the dystopian horror franchise—set in a world where for one night a year, all crime is legal—has become a nationwide phenomenon. There have been three sequels and counting that have earned nearly $300 million at the box office, and a TV adaptation is on the way. But Universal has failed to shake a copyright lawsuit relating to the Purge films that dates back to 2014—and now, as the studio seeks to prove that writer-director James DeMonaco independently dreamed up the original film, new allegations have emerged that could put DeMonaco in hot water.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, plaintiff Douglas Jordan-Benel claims his own screenplay, Settler’s Day, inspired The Purge—that he’d submitted his work with two agents at United Talent Agency, David Kramer and Emerson Davis, for consideration, under the understanding that he’d be compensated for his ideas, should they be used. Instead, the plaintiff claims the two handed the project to DeMonaco, who is himself repped by another U.T.A. agent, Charlie Ferraro. As such, Jordan-Benel alleges copyright infringement and breach of implied contract.

Hollywood has no shortage of such cases, but this one appears to have more legs than most: as T.H.R. notes, Universal, Platinum Dunes, and DeMonaco have spent years trying to bat this case away, to no avail. And now, there’s a new wrinkle: the plaintiff’s representatives claim that the e-mails DeMonaco turned over during discovery appear to have been tampered with. Specifically, their time stamps appear suspicious. An evidentiary hearing will take place next week—and on Tuesday, both parties previewed their arguments.

The plaintiff’s side will bring testimony from an electronic-discovery expert to testify about DeMonaco’s e-mails. Some, allegedly sent in 2009, show last-modified dates of October 29, 2015, when T.H.R. notes the first attempt to get the case dismissed began. Others carried a modified date of February 6, 2106—which seems implausible, barring time travel. Universal will bring its own forensic experts, who will testify that DeMonaco made a habit of storing unsent e-mails in his drafts folder, as well as sometimes sending himself e-mails. Unsurprisingly, Jordan-Benel’s side does not buy that explanation. Whatever fate befalls anyone involved, however, they can all take solace in the fact that it’ll be more merciful than anything that happens on Purge night.