CELEBRITY JUSTICE ™

Chris Brown was being well-protected by a bodyguard armed with a loaded Glock ... problem is, it's illegal for him to carry it in California, so he got busted for felony illegal gun possession.

Law enforcement tells us, Clay Lewis claimed he was on guard as Chris partied Sunday night at Penthouse nightclub in Hollywood. Cops strolled by Lewis' car, saw a weed grinder and rolling papers in the front seat, so police asked if they could search his car. Lewis obliged.

It's puzzling why Lewis said yes, because he had a loaded Glock in the trunk. Turns out Lewis had a concealed weapons permit in Florida, but did not have one in California. Thus, he was busted.

Interesting fact ... law enforcement tells us they were on heightened alert outside Penthouse specifically because Brown was inside, and they had more officers there than usual.

Marvin Gaye's son is the latest guy to claim "Empire" was his brainchild ... he's about to sue over it, and remember, the guy's got a good track record in court.

We've learned Marvin Gaye III claims he registered a treatment on a show called "Diamonds & Ballads" (aka "Those Sons of Riches!") with the Writers Guild of America back in 2010.

Gaye says the treatment describes a family in the music business -- "a music based 'black' and 'hip' version of 'Dynasty' ... with a little 'Sopranos.'"

We're told Gaye shopped the treatment around to TV execs and said it was loosely based on the lives of his legendary family and the Berry Gordy family.

Gaye insists the people in the industry with whom Lee Daniel's associates received emails pitching his treatment.

And Gaye feels Daniels unwittingly fessed up in 2014 after "Empire" hit big, when he said, "I wanted to make a black 'Dynasty.'" He also said it was similar to "The Sopranos."

Gaye's lawyer tells TMZ he plans to file a lawsuit against Daniels, Fox and others. The lawyer tells TMZ, "We understand that three things can't be hidden for long: the Sun, the Moon and the Truth!"

Kelly Rutherford is making a bold move ... she is refusing to return her 2 kids to Monaco, despite a court order requiring her to do so.

A Monaco court -- which gave her ex-husband Daniel Giersch custody of the children 3 years ago -- allowed Kelly to take the kids for the summer. But she now says she will keep them.

People posted a statement from Kelly, in which the actress makes a clever legal argument. She notes that 2 U.S. courts -- one in New York and another in California -- have both said they don't have jurisdiction in her custody battle.

Kelly says, "It means that no state in this country currently requires me to send the children away. Hence, I have decided that I cannot lawfully send my children away from the United States to live in a foreign country."

The question, of course ... What about Monaco? Kelly goes on, "I believe Monaco appreciates why it cannot assert jurisdiction over my children, and that Monaco will respect my children's right to reside in their own country."

Justin Bieber's love of cute dogs may have gotten him served in a lawsuit.

The story's kind of hysterical. The Biebs was hanging out Friday at the beach in Laguna, when a lawyer walking spotted him.

Thing is ... it wasn't just any lawyer. It was Scott Russo, who reps the landlord who is suing Meek Mill over damage to the epic glass house the rapper rented for a Grammy party. Russo just named Bieber and other celebs who attended, calling them "trespassers."

Russo says it was just coincidence that he came face-to-face with Bieber, but we're calling BS for 2 reasons. First, Russo was walking an adorable dog ... clearly as bait. Second, Russo just happened to have a copy of the lawsuit and the necessary legal docs to serve Biebs.

So Bieber saw the dog, kneeled down to pet it, and Russo jump with the papers and informed Justin he was being served with the suit.

Justin lurched back, telling Russo the service wasn't valid because he didn't touch the docs. Problem is ... if Russo got the papers in front of Bieber, that's enough for service.

Donald Trump is now persona non grata at a big Republican event tonight, for his comments about Megyn Kelly.

Erick Erickson, who organized the RedState Gathering, says, "I just don't want someone on stage who gets a hostile question from a lady and his first inclination is to imply it was hormonal."

The day after the big debate Trump gave his take on Megyn Kelly's questioning ... "There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her whatever."

Birdman doesn't care that the man accused of shooting up Lil Wayne's tour bus is now implicating him, because the man who counts knows he's innocent ... Lil Wayne himself.

Our sources say Birdman and Wayne have been able to compartmentalize their money conflicts. They have privately met several times since the bus incident, and Wayne is positive Birdman had nothing to do with the shooting.

We're told Birdman says, "No legal battle would ever make me try and kill or hurt my son." The 2 have had a father-son type relationship for years.

Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Scott took a felony bullet during a recorded interrogation -- admitting all the drugs cops found in his car were his ... so his kid brother wouldn't get in trouble.

TMZ Sports obtained the video of Banks County Sheriff's deputies questioning Scott about the July 30 traffic stop. As we reported, Scott's 20-year-old bro, Antonn, was driving when deputies pulled him over for speeding. They eventually found more than an ounce of weed and 10 grams of Molly in the vehicle.

In the video, a slumped over Scott explains why Antonn didn't immediately pull over -- cops chased him for 2 miles -- and he's oddly calm as he takes full responsibility for the stash of drugs. Scott 's biggest concern was whether his arrest would be "a public thing." The deputy gave him a reality check ... gently.

Bobbi Kristina died after her boyfriend gave her a toxic cocktail, and when she fell into unconsciousness he put her face down in the bathtub ... so claims the lawyer who represents Bobbi Kristina's estate.

The attorney filed a $40 million lawsuit against Nick Gordon in June, but court documents just filed in the case outline shocking allegations that, if true, would clearly amount to homicide.

The lawyer says at 6 AM on January 31st -- hours before Bobbi Kristina was found face down in the tub -- Nick Gordon came home from an all-night cocaine and alcohol bender. The suit claims he reviewed camera footage and became irate.

The suit says Gordon began screaming at Bobbi Kristina, accusing her of cheating and calling her a "whore and bitch."

Their argument then went from room to room, and at some point the suit claims Gordon gave Bobbi Kristina a "toxic cocktail" that rendered her unconscious.

The lawyer then says Gordon dragged Bobbi Kristina to the bathroom where he placed her face down in a tub filled with cold water.

According to the docs, Gordon got in bed, put his head on a female guest's ankle and said, "Now I want a pretty little white girl like you."

Fifteen minutes later the suit says another person (presumably Max Lomas) discovered Bobbi Kristina in the tub.

The suit also says when Bobbi Kristina was pulled from the tub, one of her teeth was hanging loosely from her mouth, indicating she had been injured.

And this is odd ... the suit says authorities found a dust pan at the bottom of the tub.

Tony Stewart could have avoided striking and killing Kevin Ward Jr. but instead chose to terrorize Ward by driving recklessly... so claims Ward's parents, who have filed a wrongful death suit.

The parents say Stewart had complete disregard for Kevin's life a year ago when his race car struck and killed the 20-year-old.

The lawsuit claims Stewart gunned his 700 HP car as he drove by Ward. Stewart's car slid and struck Ward with the rear tire, hurling him 25 feet. The suit claims Stewart gunned the engine to "terrorize" Ward.

There were rumors of beef between the two, which fueled speculation Stewart intentionally plowed into Ward with his car when he ran onto the track ... something he denies.

Stewart was cleared of criminal charges. Authorities also say Ward was high on weed when he got out of his car.

Ward's family still believes the death was avoidable and they want to take it to a civil jury.

Reps for Stewart have no comment.

The guy who managed the home of Robbie Williams and his wife was crooked to the core and is making up sexual harassment claims ... so Robbie claims in a new countersuit.

Gilles De Bonfilhs claimed in his lawsuit Robbie's wife Ayda Field would walk around naked in the home, fish for compliments, yak about her sex life and ask about his. Robbie and Ayda say in the docs the claims are all BS.

But they amp it up in their countersuit, claiming Gilles was a lousy assistant, leaving for hours at a time, and entering their bedroom unannounced. But what really gets their goat is they say they put Gilles in touch with a Landrover and Jaguar dealer to sell 2 of their cars.

Aldon Smith wouldn't have spent a night in jail or gotten kicked off the 49ers, if he'd simply been able to park his car.

Santa Clara PD say the now ex-Niner smashed into a parked car on Thursday evening ... while attempting to park his vehicle. He allegedly doubled down by hitting the car again with his door.

Cops say he left the scene without leaving a note or any identification -- but when he returned to the scene, police made contact. Officers believed he was drunk, and gave him a field sobriety test. Clearly, he didn't do well.

A Fox News contributor has invoked the Elton John Defense in Lindsay and Dina Lohan's defamation lawsuit, claiming even the Rocket Man thinks Dina is an enabler.

Lindsay and Dina filed suit because back in 2014 some guests on an FNC panel said the mother/daughter had done coke together, Lindsay was an addict, and Dina an enabler.

New legal docs cite Elton, who once said of Lindsay, "Get rid of the people who are around you, and by that I mean her family, too. They are enablers."

The docs actually reference 48 stories, with similar comments from Liv Tyler's mom, a Bev Hills psychiatrist, Aaron Carter, the New York Times and Daily News, and ... of course ... Lindsay's own father, Michael Lohan.

Fox News previously fought back against the lawsuit by saying Lindsay Lohan's drug use has long ago been established as fact ... even by Lindsay herself.

8:45 AM PT -- Aldon just got sprung after posting the $26k bail.

49ers superstar Aldon Smith is in a familiar place, and it ain't training camp -- he's in jail after getting busted for hit and run and DUI.

The oft-arrested Smith is sitting in jail after Santa Clara police hauled him in early Friday morning. He's being held on $26,000 bail.

We know he's been booked for DUI, hit and run, and also vandalism. It's still unclear exactly what went down leading up to the arrest.

This is Smith's second DUI -- the first was in 2013 -- and he was also hit with weapons charges in 2012. He served 12 days in jail in 2014. The NFL suspended him for 9 games last season.

Story developing ...

Darth Vader accessories are a must for Star Wars geeks getting their swag on ... but Disney is going to war with a cuff link company it says jacked its characters.

According to documents obtained by TMZ ... Lucasfilm and Disney say Cuff Daddy made links featuring various Star Wars characters without getting permission.

It appears the cuff links in question are no longer for sale on the Cuff Daddy site, but as far as Disney's concerned ... the damage is done. The Mouse House is demanding CD stop all production on the rebel links, and also wants 3 times the profits already made off merch.

Formula 1 driver Jenson Button and his wife were knocked unconscious by sleeping gas shot into their French villa ... and then robbed by thieves who made off with a 5-carat engagement ring!!

The bizarre crime went down in the south of France earlier this week -- Button and his wife, model Jessica Michibata, had rented a villa there ... and while they were sleeping, cops say the crooks pumped anesthetic gas through AC vents.

When the couple was out cold, the robbers cleaned out the villa ... swiping hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of loot -- not the least of which was Jessica's MASSIVE ring. Jenson, Jessica, and some friends ... who were also in the villa ... were not hurt.

Strange as it sounds ... police say there's been a rash of gassing robberies on the French Riviera.

Donald Trump had a Ronald Reagan moment early on in the debate, when he interrupted Megyn Kelly's attack on him for things he said about women ... by making it clear the comments were all about Rosie O'Donnell.

Trump owned the stage with the jab, adding that Kelly has said lousy things about him but he would stay kind to her.

Great theater, which sometimes translates into votes.