Legal

Celebrity chef Jet Tila let his dangerous dog bite a young child on the nose and now she's scarred for life ... at least that's how the kid's parents see it, according to a new lawsuit.

The famed chef and Food Network regular is being sued by the young girl's folks, who claim his dog, Halo, viciously attacked their daughter when she went up to say hello to the pooch.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jet rented out a playground at the preschool his kid and the girl attend for an event the day after Christmas, and had his dog leashed to a table.

The docs say Jet's wife "chose to relinquish personal control" of Halo and that's when the girl "gently went up" to the Belgian Malinois and the dog started barking and attacked, biting her and leaving a gash on her nose.

The child's family says she was rushed to the ER, and they claim her injuries will permanently disfigure her face.

In the suit, the parents also claim Jet knew his dog was capable of being "aggressive, vicious, and excessively dangerous."

"American Idol" finalist Syesha Mercado and her partner have a huge reason to smile ... they've been reunited with their infant daughter.

Syehsa's partner, Tyron Deener, posted video Friday, presumably during their car ride home, with baby Ast sound asleep in a child safety seat. Syesha had a huge grin on her face and Tyron couldn't look prouder to have their daughter back.

He thanked everyone for helping them get the resources they needed to get their daughter back from Florida's Child Protective Services. He said, "We still got work to do to get 'Ra back. Thank you, because of y'all we had the proper support to get the best attorneys in the country."

Remember ... the couple started a GoFundMe to help cover the legal costs and raised more than $400k. Syesha's joy was evident in her caption -- “AST IS HOME!!!! #BringRaHome POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!”

As we reported ... Syesha sobbed as the Manatee County Sheriff's deputies took Ast from her earlier this month. She reluctantly handed over the infant in accordance with a family court judge's order.

The couple's toddler son, Amen'Ra, was put in foster care back in March after a doctor claimed the boy was malnourished. Deputies told the couple they were taking Ast because they didn't tell authorities she'd given birth to Ast during the ongoing legal battle for Ra.

Arizona Cardinals LB Zaven Collins -- a 1st-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft -- just cut a deal with prosecutors in his criminal case ... pleading guilty to speeding in order to close it all out.

Collins was arrested in Scottsdale, Ariz. back on June 20 after cops say they caught him going 76 MPH in a 35 MPH zone.

Body camera footage from the arrest showed Collins begged officers to let him off ... but he was taken to the station and ultimately charged with speeding and reckless driving.

TMZ Sports, though, has learned ... in exchange for pleading guilty to the speeding charge, prosecutors dropped the reckless driving count.

Court records show as punishment, Collins was hit with over $500 worth of fines and fees.

The case is now listed as closed.

Of course, it's a big load off Collins' shoulders ... the charges loomed over the rookie's head for the entirety of his first-ever training camp with the Cards this month.

Britney Spears' dogs were taken from her earlier this month -- this after her dog sitter and housekeeper believe the pets were being neglected -- and that's what triggered the confrontation between Britney and her housekeeper that led to a criminal investigation.

Sources directly connected to Britney tell TMZ ... around 2 weeks ago one of her dogs became sick and the housekeeper took that dog and Britney's other dog to the vet. The dogs never came home, and our sources say Britney's dog sitter -- who is also a nurse -- kept and took care of the dogs because she believed they weren't safe at Britney's home.

We're told on August 10 Britney called the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. to report a theft, but when cops arrived at her home she backed off and sent them away -- this was first reported by Page Six. Our sources say she was prepared to file a theft report over the dogs but apparently had a change of heart.

Fast-forward to this past Monday morning. Britney still did not have her dogs and didn't know where they were, but suspected her dad had something to do with their disappearance.

Britney confronted her housekeeper and demanded to know where her dogs were and why they were taken away. Our Britney sources say the housekeeper expressed concern that the dogs had been neglected and showed Britney photos she had taken on her cellphone of one of the dogs that had just thrown up.

Britney believes the housekeeper -- who gets paid by Jamie -- sent Jamie the photos and he then called the dog sitter and told her to take the dogs away. Sources with direct knowledge say Jamie is "totally in the dark on what goes on in her home," adding, "He's been shut out."

In any event, we're told Britney became extremely upset and told the housekeeper she was not allowed to take photos in her house. Then we're told a struggle ensued and Britney knocked the phone out of the housekeeper's hands. Our Britney sources say she merely hit the phone, but law enforcement sources say the housekeeper alleged Britney struck her arm, which then caused her to lose her grip over the phone.

As of Thursday afternoon, Britney still did not get her dogs back, but she was hopeful that was about to happen.

TMZ broke the story ... the housekeeper filed a battery report with the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. and the agency is investigating. A Sheriff's Dept. official tells TMZ when the investigation is complete the file will be sent to the D.A. to review for a possible misdemeanor battery charge.

Jenn Harley's officially facing 2 charges following her June domestic violence arrest for allegedly threatening to pull the trigger on a gun she'd pointed at her boyfriend.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the prosecutors in Nevada charged Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's ex with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon constituting domestic violence, and one misdemeanor count of battery constituting domestic violence.

As we told you ... Harley was arrested in Las Vegas on June 19 after a fight with her now ex-boyfriend, Joseph Ambrosole. He told cops she dropped the n-word while pointing a gun at him and threatening to kill him.

About a month after the incident, Jenn checked herself into a Las Vegas rehab facility to seek treatment for alcohol dependency.

Her rep told us she made the decision because she wants to be the best parent she can for Ariana, her 3-year-old daughter with Ronnie.

We're told Jenn recently completed her 28-day stint and is looking forward to a fresh start, but her legal issues aren't going away easily.

Azriel Clary -- one of R. Kelly's former girlfriends -- remains steadfast in testifying against him in his federal sex crimes case ... despite what her family describes as attempts to scare her away from going through with it.

Azriel's father, Angelo, tells TMZ ... nobody's forcing his daughter to testify -- it's her decision based on her belief that what Kelly did to her and others is wrong, and she wants to do it for the sake of justice and to show what a monster he truly is.

Problem is, this apparently doesn't sit well with many of the singer's fans. We're told Azriel and her family are the frequent targets of online threats and attacks ... including people posting their contact info and even harassing them at work.

Even scarier ... Azriel's car was set on fire last year, and just months ago a man pled guilty in the case.

For all these reasons and more ... Angelo says his daughter's stress level is high as she prepares for her testimony, but he's adamant Azriel will not back down.

We broke the story ... in early 2020 -- after a falling out with Kelly's other girlfriend at the time, Joycelyn Savage -- Azriel fully removed herself from Kelly's corner and began working with the feds against him.

Now, the time is almost here for her to take the stand, and we're told Azriel's looking forward to showing her strength and telling her truth ... with Kelly watching.

A judge just ruled the woman accusing Trevor Bauer of sexual assault will NOT be allowed to have a permanent restraining order against the MLB star.

The decision came down Thursday morning in an L.A. courtroom after three-plus days of proceedings ... with a judge ordering the temporary restraining order against Bauer must be dissolved.

In announcing her order ... the judge said Bauer "did not exceed limits" that his accuser had set before their two sexual encounters in April and May.

"If she set limits and he exceeded them, this case would be clear," the judge said in the courtroom, according to L.A. Times reporter Steve Henson. "But he did not exceed limits she set."

The judge added, according to Henson, that the injuries the woman suffered during the sexual encounters were "not the result of anything she told [Bauer] she objected to."

The judge also said, per Henson, that Bauer did not pose any potential future threat to the woman.

The decision is obviously a huge win for Bauer -- who's been away from the Dodgers on administrative leave since the temporary restraining order was granted back in June -- though it remains unclear what it means for his potential future in the MLB.

Despite Thursday's ruling, Bauer is still being investigated by the Pasadena Police Dept. to see if he committed any criminal offenses during his encounters with his accuser.

Nicki Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, says having his name on New York's Sex Offender Registry has caused him a lot of problems, and the worst part is he never got his day in court to challenge it ... according to new legal docs.

Petty's suing the State of New York and its Criminal Justice Services division to have his name removed from the sex offender's registry, because he claims he never got notice of a hearing about it back in October 2004 while he was incarcerated.

According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the hearing offered an opportunity to challenge the risk level assigned to him -- he was categorized as a level 2 sex offender at the time -- but problem is, Petty claims he never actually got notice of it.

Petty claims the notice of the hearing was sent to an address where he didn't live -- because he was in prison at the time -- and alleges the "Kenny Petty" signature on the bottom is a forgery.

Petty claims whoever did it also answered that he would not be attending the hearing. So, according to the new suit, Petty claims he never got his constitutional right to due process to challenge the risk level assigned to him.

Fred Goldman is still looking to collect on his massive judgment against O.J. Simpson ... 'cause the father of Ron Goldman just got a judge to order the former football star to answer some questions from Fred's lawyers about his assets.

It's all in new court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, which show a Nevada judge has ordered Simpson to meet with Fred's attorneys to discuss the ex-Heisman Trophy winner's employment, property and funds.

The docs show Simpson is required to appear at the lawyers' offices on Sept. 16 ... and if he blows it off, a bench warrant for his arrest could be issued.

Of course, all of this appears to be another step by Fred to try to collect on the money Simpson still owes the Goldman family.

As we previously reported, 74-year-old O.J. was ordered in 1997 to pay $33.5 million after he was found liable in the civil case over the killing of Ron ... and due to interest, that figure has reportedly since ballooned to over $70 MILLION.

Fred has argued that after O.J. was released from prison in 2018 after being locked up for a 2007 armed robbery, he's resumed making dough ... but still isn't coughing up enough to satisfy the judgment.

Seems clear Fred's hoping to gain info about O.J.'s cash and other assets so he can collect on the judgment.

OnlyFans is going to have a new look this fall ... the subscription site says it's about to enact a ban on pornography.

The company says the ban on sexually explicit content is going in to effect Oct. 1 ... and seemingly blames the decision on outside pressure, saying it's making the big change to get in line with requests from banking partners and payout providers.

The company says it's got to evolve to "ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans."

As you know, OnlyFans is mostly filled with women and men reeling in subscribers with nude videos and photos, and porn. It's lucrative too.

Bhad Bhabie raked in $1 million in just 6 hours in her OnlyFans debut back in April, a record for the site.

It sounds like there will still be some wiggle room for nude content on OnlyFans moving forward ... the company says creators will still be allowed to post content with nudity as long at it jibes with their "Acceptable Use Policy."

If you're thinking of freaking out on a plane, hope you're flush with cash, because freak-outs don't come cheap. Some off-the-rails passengers have been fined and the total is now more than a million bucks.

The FAA just hit a milestone (a bad one) in the total amount of penalties they've dished out thus far in 2021 ... there have been 3,889 reports of unruly behavior this year, and many of these ridiculous passengers have been socked with huge fines.

Most of the in-flight eruptions involve disputes over mask-wearing. There are also a bunch of alcohol-related disturbances. For example ...

-- A JetBlue passenger was fined $45,000 for throwing objects, including his carry-on at other passengers, lying on the aisle floor, and then grabbing a flight attendant by the ankles and putting his head up her skirt.

-- A Frontier Airlines passenger was socked with a $30,000 fine after trying to gain entry to the cockpit by assaulting 2 flight attendants, threatening to kill one of them, and demanding they open the door.

-- A JetBlue passenger was fined $17,530 for failing to comply with the mask mandate, vaping on the plane and drinking alcohol not served by the airline.

-- An Allegiant Airlines passenger was fined $10,500 for refusing to wear a face mask and then urinating on the bathroom floor, which leaked into the galley.

Turns out a lot of these passengers got dinged for bringing alcohol on board -- which is a no-no -- and then getting belligerent.

The fines we were provided are all hefty -- starting at $7,500. On top of that, some passengers have been charged with crimes.

It's gotten so bad, flight attendants are now duct-taping out-of-control passengers to their seats.

Britney Spears' boyfriend is as hopeful as her fans she'll return to performing, and seems to think it could happen soon ... but admittedly he's got his fingers metaphorically crossed.

Sam Asghari was leaving an intense and sweaty workout at Bas Rutten's Elite MMA Gym in L.A. Wednesday when he blurted out something that could send Brit's followers into a tizzy ... claiming she'll "absolutely" take the stage again soon.

His absolute statement was quickly followed up with a mumbled "hopefully" -- so it doesn't sound like there's any solid plan in place just yet.

As for recent developments in Britney's conservatorship case -- like her father Jamie agreeing to step down -- Sam has another brief response ... with some added muscle.

Speaking of which, Sam makes a quick pitch to the producers of 'Fast & Furious 10' for a role and he's certainly taking his acting and fitness goals seriously.

Alexandra Paul -- known for playing Lt. Stephanie Holden on the OG "Baywatch" -- claims she's being harassed by a woman she's had beef with for a decade ... and now the woman's allegedly targeting Alexandra's husband too.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... Alexandra says the woman, Nicole Albrecht, is from Germany, and first showed up at her house in late 2011 and has been harassing her ever since.

Alexandra's theory is Albrecht knows her because "Baywatch" was uber popular in Germany. She claims the woman now has it out for her husband, Ian, because she thinks he's keeping her from being with Alexandra.

According to the docs ... things came to a head on July 4, when Albrecht allegedly parked near Alexandra and Ian's property and her husband tried to get a photo of her license plate.

Paul claims Albrecht then "turned on her car and hit him with it and fled the scene." She says they contacted the LAPD threat management unit.

Before this incident, Paul claims Albrecht also confronted her in a grocery store parking lot in May and tried to get in her car, but fled when Alexandra called cops.

Since the July 4 incident, Paul claims Albrecht's been sending her husband a bunch of emails "showing her paranoia and hatred of him." Even more disturbing, Alexandra claims Albrecht is orchestrating an online harassment and defamation campaign accusing Ian of being a pedophile with absolutely no basis.

Alexandra says they fear things will get worse, and the court's siding with her for now -- a judge granted her and Ian a temporary restraining order requiring Albrecht to stay 100 yards away and stop all contact with them.

Sam Hunt cut a plea deal in his DUI case ... and while his sentence includes a 48-hour jail stint, we're told it won't actually be behind bars.

The country star appeared in Nashville court via Zoom Wednesday and pled guilty to 2 counts of DUI. He was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in jail ... but he won't have to serve it he stays out of trouble.

As for the 48 hours ... he'll fulfill that by taking a DUI education course.

Sam must also complete an alcohol safety course. His driver's license will be suspended for 1 year. When he gets the license back, he'll have an interlock device installed in his car.

BTW ... the third charge, an open container violation, was dropped.

As we reported ... Sam was busted in November 2019 after cops say he was driving on the wrong side on a Nashville road. Cops said he reeked of booze and blew twice the legal limit .. .173.

Cops said he was so wasted when they asked him for his driver's license he struggled to find it ... even though it was sitting right on his lap. Cops said Sam mistakenly gave them a credit card and his passport.

Erika Jayne's estranged husband's unloading a bunch of his stuff -- including some of her "collectibles" -- to pay off creditors, but 2 items on the auction block stand out because they're more scandalous ... and a mystery even to Erika!!!

Sources close to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star tell TMZ ... among Tom Girardi's auction items are 2 separate pieces of lingerie that never belonged to her, and she has no idea what the deal is.

We're told the items in question -- a red "Agent Provocateur" set in size 3, and a medium black lace top -- are both smaller than what Erika wears.

Both items are brand new with the tags and the red lingerie comes with a receipt to Tom, but their inclusion among the auction items has the rumor mill spinning.

Basically, we're told people close to Erika are wondering if these items were intended for her, and if not ... exactly who WERE they meant for?

Tom's law firm -- which was sued for allegedly embezzling funds from families who lost loved ones in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia -- isn't just auctioning off the mystery lingerie, of course. The auction also features office supplies, artwork, memorabilia and a ton of other stuff to pay legal costs.

YK Osiris has something in common with Trippie Redd -- the singer will also avoid prosecution for an alleged assault case in Atlanta.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the Fulton County D.A.'s Office says even though Atlanta PD had probable cause to arrest Osiris in November 2019 ... the D.A. has decided NOT to prosecute at this time.

We've reached out to prosecutors to find out why they're not moving forward. If this all sounds familiar it's because the Fulton County D.A.'s office also decided this week not to pursue Trippie Redd's case.

As we reported ... the "Worth It" singer was arrested after he allegedly beat up his GF at his birthday party in September 2019. At the time ... we were told he was busted in Atlanta on a felony charge of aggravated assault by strangulation.

According to the police report ... the singer's GF told cops he had choked her and bit her face.