Legal

One of the doctors convicted in the Matthew Perry ketamine case is embracing a label most physicians would run from ... telling an appeals court he was functioning as a drug dealer, not a doctor, when he sold ketamine in this case.

According to new court documents, obtained by TMZ, Dr. Salvador Plasencia is asking the Ninth Circuit to toss his 30-month prison sentence and send his case back for resentencing ... arguing the judge wrongly punished him for abusing a physician's position of trust.

In the filing, Plasencia makes a stunning claim ... insisting Perry wasn't seeking him out for legitimate medical treatment, but was instead looking for a reliable source of ketamine. Because of that, his attorneys argue, he shouldn't have been treated as a doctor who betrayed a patient, but rather as a more common drug dealer.

Diddy’s longtime right-hand woman, Kristina Khorram, scored a huge win in court after a judge dismissed sex trafficking claims against her ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge sided with Kristina at a recent hearing in June. The judge ruled that the sexual battery, sex trafficking, and several other claims brought against Kristina by Diddy’s former employee, Phillip Pines, were to be thrown out of court.

The court found that Phillip failed to submit evidence to back up his claims Kristina could be held liable for any of the alleged crimes committed against him. The judge said Phillip did not show Kristina had knowledge of any alleged sexual battery or knew about or benefited from any alleged sexual trafficking.

JPMorgan Chase exec Lorna Hajdini's former subordinate isn't taking back a thing ... insisting he substantially told the truth when he claimed she subjected him to sexual harassment and discrimination -- and now he's arguing her counterclaims against him for bringing the suit should be tossed out of court.

According to new court documents, obtained by TMZ, John Doe is firing back at Hajdini's defamation countersuit, rejecting her claim that he made up allegations to boost his case or destroy her reputation.

Doe says the viral complaints he made about Hajdini were real, repeatedly denying her accusations that he fabricated claims or spread lies about her.

The knife Karmelo Anthony allegedly used to fatally stab Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet wasn't illegal under Texas law ... according to a police detective who testified in Anthony's murder trial.

The testimony came as Anthony's defense team wrapped up its case, with jurors hearing from Detective Beau Riley -- a member of Frisco PD's Crimes Against Children unit who responded to the scene of the fatal stabbing.

One of the key moments came when Anthony's attorney had Riley confirm the knife Anthony carried that day was legal to possess in Texas ... and legal to bring into a stadium.

Crispin Glover is firing back at the ex-girlfriend who accused him of turning her into a "sex slave" ... claiming her lawsuit is a money-motivated attack built on false allegations.

The "Back to the Future" star filed new court docs, obtained by TMZ, asking a judge to strike part of his ex's lawsuit ... and he's offering a dramatically different version of what happened between them.

As TMZ previously reported, the woman sued Crispin in February, alleging he lured her from the UK to Los Angeles with promises of a new life and career in Hollywood before using her as a live-in girlfriend, unpaid assistant, and "sex slave." She also claimed he later filed a false police report and sought a fraudulent restraining order against her.

11:41 AM PT -- Lenny Hochstein tells TMZ ... "I have never drugged or raped anyone in my life. This is an encounter I had over a year ago. There are multiple witnesses. If she believes she was raped she should go to the police. Not try to sue me for money. There is a video of her leaving my home the next day smiling and dancing. That is not the behavior of someone who believes she was raped."

Lenny Hochstein is being accused of turning a glamorous Miami night into a nightmare ... according to a new lawsuit filed by a Jane Doe.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, the woman claims the celebrity plastic surgeon lured her to his Star Island mansion under the guise of an exclusive afterparty ... then gave her a drug and sexually assaulted her.

In the lawsuit, Doe says she was visiting Miami from London in May 2025 when she met a younger man at Sopra Club. She claims he invited her to a private afterparty on Star Island, but when she arrived, there was no party.

The woman alleges Hochstein repeatedly hit on her and later gave her a pill he described as a common sleep aid. She claims she trusted him because he was a doctor and took the pill.

The former male escort suing Cassie over their freak offs with Diddy is firing back after she revealed a private text he sent her husband, Alex Fine, as part of her attempt to dismiss his lawsuit ... and he says he's the one who really suffered from Diddy's sexual proclivities.

Clayton Howard, the former escort-turned-law student, slammed Cassie in a TikTok released over the weekend ... as their legal beef continues to stew.

He addressed the text Cassie submitted as part of her request to toss the case, admitting he sent it to Alex, who he says had no idea who Cassie really was. Clayton says he drafted the text with a velvet glove.

In the video, he said he was the real Diddy victim … along with the other male escorts involved in the freak offs. Clayton said Cassie was the victim of domestic violence, but believes she was into the freak-offs.

Denver Broncos star Jonathon Cooper went before a judge to address his recent arrest ... with his attorney entering a not guilty plea and requesting a prompt resolution in the case.

Cooper -- who was expressionless in a black shirt and pants -- was present in a Douglas County courtroom on Monday ... where his lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, emphasized the importance of getting the matter taken care of so the linebacker can get back to his day job.

Cooper did not speak during the brief appearance. A motion hearing is set for early next month.

Floyd Mayweather's former manager, Jona Rechnitz, is clapping back after the legendary boxer filed a $175 million lawsuit claiming he was the victim of widespread fraud, but his ex-friend turned foe says he's got receipts that show the allegations are pure nonsense.

Rechnitz recently sat down with YouTuber Spencer Cornelia ... and responded to many of Mayweather's allegations, in a video that's been reposted by 50 Cent.

One of Mayweather's claims centers around $100 million in jewelry, which the undefeated fighter alleges Rechnitz used as collateral for a $13 million loan, unbeknownst to the star athlete. Floyd says he never received any of the money.

Huda Mustafa's 'Love Island' villa days may be over ... but it looks like she still had a knack for making waves on camera.

As we first reported, in documents we obtained, Huda's ex-BF Louis Russell's baby mama Nicole Olivera alleged in court that the 'Love Island' star tried to break into her L.A. home after sneaking into her apartment complex on February 21, 2026.

TMZ has obtained surveillance footage showing Huda making her way inside the apartment complex of her ex-boyfriend Louis' baby mama, Nicole ... 'cause apparently the only thing she wasn't done coupling up with was controversy.

Check out the video ... as described in the docs, Huda can be seen walking through the property while talking on her phone, making her way through the complex that later became ground zero in her ugly legal battle with Nicole.

DaBaby is finally putting the legal fallout from his infamous bowling alley brawl in the rearview ... 'cause the lawsuit tied to the 2022 fight has been settled.

According to new court documents, obtained by TMZ, a notice of settlement was filed Thursday in the case stemming from DaBaby's altercation with ex DaniLeigh's brother, Brandon Curiel -- who goes by Brandon Bill$ -- at Corbin Bowl in Los Angeles. The filing states the matter will be dismissed within 45 days.

The settlement marks the apparent end of a years-long legal saga that began after Brandon sued DaBaby and the bowling alley over injuries he allegedly suffered during the melee.

President Trump's plan to host a UFC fight card at the White House is getting hit with a legal haymaker ... because a new federal lawsuit is trying to stop the event before anyone steps into the Octagon.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, two Virginia residents are suing the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior over "UFC Freedom 250" -- the June 14 event slated for the White House South Lawn.

The plaintiffs claim the card is less about celebrating America's 250th birthday and more about giving some of Trump's closest allies -- including UFC boss Dana White -- a massive platform at some of the country's most iconic landmarks as The Lincoln Memorial is scheduled to host ceremonial weigh-ins for fighters before the event.

Ice Spice's debt drama is getting harder to brush off ... because the rapper is now scheduled to sit for a deposition in her ongoing wig-company lawsuit.

According to new court documents, obtained by TMZ, Ice Spice -- whose legal name is Isis Gaston -- will sit for questions under oath in September in Manhattan as part of the legal battle brought by Thee Bella Brand LLC.

As TMZ previously reported, the company sued Ice Spice last year over 25 custom-made wigs ... claiming she agreed to purchase them for around $20K but never paid up for the goods. The company said the rapper also trashed them on social media and was seeking more than $400K in lost business opportunities and punitive damages.

The family of Celeste Rivas is being approached by multiple production companies seeking insight on her alleged relationship with singer D4vd ... but they’re shutting the door on the idea for now, TMZ has learned.

According to the Rivas' family attorney Patrick Steinfeld, several production companies have reached out regarding potential participation in documentary projects, with some even making direct solicitations at the family’s home.

Steinfeld tells us the interest has been widespread, noting the family has been contacted by "many production companies" in connection with possible documentaries exploring the alleged relationship between their daughter and the singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke.

Chris Brown is fighting for joint custody of his 4-year-old daughter ... after his baby mama, Diamond Brown, asked the court to only give the singer visitation. 

As TMZ first reported, Diamond asked a Los Angeles court in May to award her legal and physical custody of their kid, Lovely Symphani Brown.

She proposed that Chris only be granted visitation rights.

But, the singer isn’t on board with that and fired back in court docs obtained by TMZ ... demanding joint legal and physical custody. He also said he and Diamond should cover the costs of this legal matter. In her filing, Diamond asked the court to make him cough up the cash.

Wade Robson and James Safechuck -- 2 prominent Michael Jackson sexual abuse accusers -- just posted together for a chummy selfie as they gear up for trial against the singer's business entities this fall.

Check it out -- the pair's child molestation accusations were at the center of the controversial 2019 HBO documentary "Leaving Neverland" ... and they're still supporting one another to this day. They each posted the casual snap and gushed over one another in the captions.

Wade called James his "brother in trauma and triumph," while James wrote ... "I had a great time with Wade. I can’t thank him enough for his bravery and support. So much love."