Legal

Caitlyn Jenner's late friend Sophia Hutchins is at the center of a new court battle from beyond the grave ... with a judge ordering Apple to turn over access to her private email accounts.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, a Los Angeles County judge granted a request from Hutchins' mother, the administrator of her estate, to recover information tied to her Apple accounts and directed Apple to assist in the process.

The judge authorized Hutchins' mom, Amy L. Andrus, to seek access to data tied to Hutchins' accounts.

Shia LaBeouf is closing the book on his Mardi Gras bar fight case ... by taking a plea deal instead of heading to trial.

The actor appeared in a New Orleans courtroom Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a reduced charge tied to the February altercation that led to his arrest during the city's annual Mardi Gras celebrations.

The judge originally gave Shia a 6-month suspended jail sentence ... which means he won't see a jail cell as long as he stays out of trouble.

Under the agreement, LaBeouf pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace by appearing intoxicated in public. In return, prosecutors dropped the simple battery charges he was originally facing.

Cassie moved out of America at some point after being paid out $20 Million from Diddy over his alleged abuse ... and Cassie says she's got no plans of moving back.

TMZ obtained a court declaration dated May 1, 2026 and filed by Cassie in her ongoing lawsuit against male escort Clayton Howard where she states, "I reside outside of the United States. I do not intend to move back to the United States."

Cassie, who was pregnant and living in New York last summer when she testified in Diddy's federal criminal trial, also states in her declaration, "I am a citizen of the United States. I am not a resident of the State of California."

Rumer Willis’ ex and baby daddy is firing back against Demi Moore's claim he's aggressive ... amid his and Rumer's ongoing custody battle over their 3-year-old, Louetta.

As we previously reported -- the 'Substance' star claimed in court docs that Derek Richard Thomas "appears to want to dictate and control Rumer’s environment" and has "absolutely no respect, care, concern, compassion or support toward anyone, especially Rumer and the baby."

But, in new legal docs, he says he's never behaved "aggressively or inappropriately" and claims Rumer "has launched a coordinated media attack across dozens of outlets" against him. He even flips the script and claims Rumer is the one exploiting their child in sponsored content that has "adult sexual humor," to which he says he never consented.

Chris Brown continues to deal with scary situations at his L.A. mansion … with yet another person arrested at the property, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, LAPD was called to the entertainer’s $3.8 million 6-bedroom, 10-bathroom home at 5:55 pm on June 2.

Sources tell TMZ the initial call to police came in as a burglary suspect at the home. The caller told the 911 operator that a female had broken into the home.

It seems Denise Richards knew she would get some blowback for a leather skirt she wore to court earlier this year ... but the actress says haters can pound their gavels elsewhere.

DR posted a video Tuesday of her getting ready for court back from back in February ... and said some glam was necessary for her courtroom showdown with estranged hubby Aaron Phypers.

Denise figured some would say the Gucci skirt she wanted to rock was not appropriate for court ... but who cares when it fits so perfectly!

Former U.S. Congressman George Santos is in hot water again with the feds ... the Department of Justice is reportedly investigating him for alleged insider trading.

Santos, a convicted felon, is now facing possible new federal charges for making a suspicious trade in a prediction market on one of President Trump's speeches, according to the Associated Press.

The outlet reports that Santos bragged about attending Trump's State of the Union address on February 24, but he then bet against showing up for it.

The woman who wrote California's survivor-protection law is calling out Blake Lively's legal strategy in her fight with Justin Baldoni ... saying the legislation was never intended to be used this way.

Watch the video ... Victoria Burke joined "The Megyn Kelly Show" Tuesday and explained why she believes Lively's use of the law goes beyond its original intent. She also details why she says it was never meant to block every defamation claim.

Burke wrote the law after learning she could be sued for defamation if she spoke publicly about her own sexual assault. She then spent more than a year researching lawsuits against survivors before taking the proposal to lawmakers.

"How I Met Your Mother" actor Nick Pasqual is headed to prison for a long time after being sentenced for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, makeup artist Allie Shehorn.

A judge handed down a 32-year to life sentence Tuesday following Pasqual's conviction last month stemming from the brutal May 2024 attack.

Prosecutors said Pasqual broke into Shehorn's Sunland home during the early morning hours and stabbed her more than 20 times in the neck, chest, back, abdomen, arms, and wrists before fleeing toward the U.S.-Mexico border.

Former "American Idol" contestant Antonella Barba copped to violating the terms of her supervised release by smoking marijuana ... but she's getting a puff, puff pass here.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Antonella reported to the probation office in Camden, New Jersey on May 5 for a scheduled visit and urine drug screening ... and officers apparently became suspicious when she appeared to be stalling before the test. They say she ultimately admitted she had recently used marijuana.

Antonella -- who rose to fame as a contestant on Season 6 of 'Idol' and later served prison time in a federal drug trafficking case -- is currently on supervised release stemming from that conviction.

Josh Duggar just got shut down in his bid to throw out his conviction after a judge called his excuse for filing his docs too late "not credible."

The "19 Kids and Counting" star filed a motion looking to vacate his conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material, claiming his constitutional rights were violated.

But the judge rejected his bid after finding he filed his appeal too late … according to court docs obtained by People.

Nicole Curtis' ex Shane Maguire is dragging the former HGTV star to court to try to change their custody arrangement … months after she was fired from the network for using the n-word.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ, Shane asks the court to modify the current custody plan from one that involves frequent exchanges to one that allows their 10-year-old son, Harper, to have one week with him followed by one week with Nicole.

Shane claimed the current custody arrangement is creating "conflict" and “instability” for Harper and exposing him to “ongoing parental conflict.”

Josh Duggar is on the move within the federal prison system, getting transferred to a penitentiary that caters to inmates who need medical and mental health services ... TMZ has learned.

The "19 Kids and Counting" star turned convicted sex offender was transferred May 29 from a minimum-security facility, FCI Seagoville in Texas, to the Federal Medical Center in Forth Worth ... according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Duggar had been locked up at FCI Seagoville from June 2022 to May 2026 ... but the BOP refused to explain the reason behind the move, citing security concerns.

A South Carolina convenience store owner has been cleared in the shooting death of a Black 14-year-old boy back in 2023, after a jury found him not guilty of murder.

ICYMI, Asian business owner Chikei Rick Chow shot and killed Cyrus Carmack-Belton in June 2023 after he allegedly stole from his store. Prosecutors alleged Chow chased the teen 130 yards from his store and sent a bullet through his back in an act of rage after he wrongly assumed he had taken four bottles of water, according to reports.

Chow's defense lawyer said he fired at the teen because he allegedly pointed a gun at his son. Carmack-Belton was confirmed to have a semiautomatic pistol at the time of the incident, but it fell to the ground during the chase, according to prosecutors. He allegedly never threatened anyone with it.

Mackenzie Shirilla is mocking her hometown as she rots in prison ... ripping the good folks of Strongsville, Ohio.

TMZ obtained audio from a prison call between Mackenzie and her mother, Natalie, mocking the community she once called home.

Give it a listen ... Mackenzie is heard complaining about residents of the Cleveland suburb ... describing Strongsville residents as "sad and depressing."

Mackenzie and her mother even suggest folks back home are spreading false information about Mackenzie online ever since she was arrested and convicted of murdering her boyfriend Dominic Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan.

Taylor Frankie Paul just scored a major win in her custody battle with ex Dakota Mortensen ... because a judge has expanded her time with their 2-year-old son, Ever.

During a court hearing Monday, a judge scrapped the requirement that Taylor's parenting time be supervised, allowing her expanded time with Ever.

Under the updated arrangement, Paul will have parenting time on a designated day each week, plus alternating weekends. Dakota, meanwhile, will continue serving as Ever's primary custodial parent and will retain custody during holidays, according to the judge's ruling.