The Biggest Celeb Lawsuits Of All Time

The Kardashians v Blac Chyna

Image Source/ Us WeeklyBlac Chyna's aggravated lawsuit against the iconic Kardashians saw allegations of abuse and violence surface, both sides making strong accusations. Blac Chyna sued the family for $100 million after her show 'Rob & Chyna' was cancelled, causing her financial hardship.

Johnny Depp v Amber Heard

Image Source/ Vanity FairA not so surprising lawsuit to make this list is the infamous Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial. Both accused one another of being abusive and claimed to be victims of domestic violence, and the whole world watched as substance abuse and suicide were all dragged through the courtroom.

Britney Spears v Jamie Spears

Image Source/ Splash NewsBritney's story took the world by storm when she petitioned to block her father having access to her money. The lawsuit came after 14 long years of financial, physical and mental control that Jamie, Britney's father, imposed upon her. Britney claimed that during those years, her father siphoned over $6 million of her money.

Travis Scott v the 'Astroworld' Victims

Image Source/ BBCIn 2021, a tragic crowd stampede occurred at Travis Scott's Astroworld Music Festival, killing 10 people and injuring others. Concert-goers and the families of those killed accused the performers of gross negligence and sued Scott and fellow musician Drake for $740 million, in addition to a number of other smaller lawsuits.

Meghan Markle v Associated Newspapers

Image Source/ International Business TimesIt's well known that Meghan Markle didn't have it easy in the UK and was defamed in many newspapers and media outlets. She eventually sued Associated Papers, the parent company of Daily Mail, after publishing her private letter. She sued the company for copyright infringement, misuse of private information, and breaching the UK Data Protection Act, and the courts sided with her, rejecting an appeal for trial on the oppositions behalf.

Sofia Vergara v Nick Loeb

Image Source/ DlistedHighest paid actress in the world, Sofia Vergara, filed a lawsuit against her ex-fiancé Nick Loeb shortly after they split. The pair had agreed to freeze pre-embryos in the hopes that they would one day parent children. However, Vergara wanted to block Loeb from using these embryos of his own accord, and the courts agreed.

Taylor Swift v David Mueller

Image Source/ Page SixBack in 2015, the radio DJ David Mueller rivalled Taylor Swift's defamatory comments and sued her for $3 million. The singer had claimed that he'd groped her during a meet-and-greet, which he denied. However, after Swift filed a countersuit (for just $1) she eventually won, making a pertinent statement for women.

Kendall Jenner v Gregory Messer

Image Source/ Vanity FairWhen the Fyre Festival disaster kicked off, the internet roared about it. Believe it or not, Kendall Jenner actually ended up paying for it. She was sued by a trustee of the festival's creditors, Gregory Messer, for a sum of $275,000. However, she ended up settling the suit for just $90,000.

Kesha v Dr. Luke

Image Source/ The GuardianKesha publicly and infamously sued her music producer Dr. Luke for sexual, emotional and physical abuse. Although the lawsuit was initially filed in 2014, it was still ongoing in 2022, with Dr. Luke filing his own countersuit for defamation. In March 2022, Kesha actually lost an appeal against his suit, a result of a new free speech law in New York.

Ed Sheeran v Sami Chokri

Image Source/ Sky NewsWorldwide musician Ed Sheeran was sued by fellow artist Sami Chokri after his the release of his song "Shape of You". Chokri claimed that Sheeran's hit sampled his own song "Oh Why". The courts sided with Sheeran, stating that Chokri would need to prove Sheeran had heard "Oh Why" before releasing "Shape of You".

Johnny Depp v The Sun

Image Source/ Press GazetteBefore the infamous trial between Johnny Depp and wife Amber Heard, he actually sued The Sun back in 2020, who coined Depp a "wife beater". Depp actually ended up losing the case after The Sun were made to prove that he was a domestic abuser, which The Sun managed to do.

Nicki Minaj v Tracy Chapman

Image Source/ VarietyTracy Chapman sued rap star Nicki Minaj after she "accidentally" sampled the Chapman song "Baby Can I Hold You?". In 2018, Minaj publicly asked for Chapman to give her rights to sample the song, but her request was denied until two years later, when Minaj offered a $450,000 settlement.

Shia LaBeouf v FKA Twigs

Image Source/ BBCExperimental musician FKA Twigs sued Shia LaBeouf following her romantic relationship with him. He was accused of sexual battery, assault and causing emotional distress. LaBeouf admitted his wrongdoings:

"I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. [...] I have a history of hurting the people closest to me."

Scarlett Johansson v Disney

Image Source/ Business UpturnDespite continuing to work with Disney, the 'Black Widow' actress actually sued them when they released the film onto Disney+. She claimed that the platform release cut potential box office earnings, which was a stipulation in her contract that affected the money she received. Eventually, Disney and Johannsen agreed a settlement.

Kelly Clarkson v Starstruck Management

Image Source/ NMEFollowing her divorce from her husband, Kelly Clarkson was ordered to pay $1.4 million to her husband's father's company, Starstruck Management. In retaliation, she countersued, claiming that the company violated the California Labour Code. The lawsuit is yet to finalise, however she paid a $1.3 million settlement to her husband as part of the divorce.

Lindsay Lohan v Grigor Balyan

Image Source/ Entertainment TonightWhile shooting Celebrity snaps in 2010, the photographer Grigor Balyan sued Lindsay Lohan when the car she was in allegedly sped away and injured his foot outside a Hollywood club. While the lawsuit initiated a historic battle between paparazzi and stars, Lohan allegedly settled the dispute out of court.

Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi v Edelson PC

Image Source/ Los Angeles MagazineReal Housewife Erika Jayne faced many legal troubles upon her split from Tom Girardi. The couple were accused of embezzlement, which the divorce as part of their plan. Jayne now faces another lawsuit from Edelson PC, who claim she acted as frontwoman in Girardi's racketeering scheme.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop v the State of California

image Source/ Rolling StoneGwyneth Paltrow's wellness company Goop came under fire in 2018, when Californian prosecutors sued Goop for false advertisement. $66 vaginal eggs were being sold to balance hormones, regulate menstruation and improve bladder control. Four days after filing, Goop settled for $145,000, and can no longer make any statements without possessing competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the claims.

Janice Dickinson v Bill Cosby

Image Source/ Yahoo NewsTV personality Janice Dickinson sued Bill Cosby in 2015 for sexual assault. She claimed that the incident happened back in the 80s, but he claimed that she was a liar. It's been revealed that she reached a settlement in the suit. However, she later testified in another case against Cosby, which saw him incarcerated.

Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan v Harvey Weinstein

Image Source/ Vanity FairThe #MeToo movement became a pivotal way for women to share their horrific experiences of SA, and was the result of allegations made against producer Harvey Weinstein. Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan both filed lawsuits against Weinstein, with Rose's being dismissed due to an unmet deadline, and Ashley's on pause.

Kate Middleton v 'Closer' Magazine

Image Source/ VogueKate Middleton was disgraced to find out that French magazine Closer posted topless pics of her while she was sunbathing. The whole royal family actually sued the publication, and they were ordered to pay $119,000 in damages. Both the editor and owner had to pay additional amounts too. Result.

Keira Knightley v 'Daily Mail'

Image Source/ The GuardianYet another female public figure that has sued Daily Mail: Kiera Knightley. She sued over a 2007 article that wrote about the death of a 19 year old who had anorexia. The article claimed that her death had been contributed by Kiera's own alleged anorexia. She won £3,000 in libel damages, donating the sum to charity.

Nicolas Cage v Kathleen Turner

Image Source/ Smith's VerdictNicholas Cage's lawsuit against actor counterpart Kathleen Turner occurred in the wake of the publication of her autobiography. The memoir claimed that Cage had been arrested for drunk driving and stealing a dog. Cage actually won the case, and the publishing company issued an apology, paid his legal costs and made a donation to charity.

Jussie Smollett v the City of Chicago

Image Source/ BBCActor Jussie Smollett infamously staged a hate crime against himself, and was subsequently charged for disorderly conduct, which landed him a stint in jail. Upon his release, the City of Chicago think it fair that he should pay the $130,000 that it spent on investigating the alleged attack.

Bollea v Gawker

Image Source/ The GuadianFormer wrestler Hulk Hogan sued Gawker Media after an intimate clip of himself with his friend's wife was released online. Despite suing for invasion of privacy, Gawker tried to claim that the video was in the public's interest. The courts saw straight through this attempt and honoured the lawsuit, eventually settling for $31 million.

Matal v Tam

Image Source/ National ReviewThis case paved the way for profanities becoming trademarks. Frontman of Asian-American band The Slants sued the Patent and Trademark Office after they repeatedly denied to formally recognise the band's name. The lawsuit climbed all the way to the Supreme Court, who sided with The Slants.

Katherine Heigl v Duane Reade, Inc.

Image Source/ MarTechActor Katherine Heigl sued American drugstore Duane Reade for $6 million over one tweet. While the paparazzi caught a picture of Heigl as she left a Duane Reade store, the company tweeted the photo with caption: “Love a quick #DuaneReade run? Even @KatieHeigl can’t resist shopping #NYC’s favorite drugstore.” Heigl's lawsuit was filed on the basis that they used her for likeness.

CBS v the Federal Communications Commission

Image Source/ KMazur/Getty ImagesBack in 2004, Justin Timberlake accidentally exposed Janet Jackson's boob on live TV when he ripped off part of her bustier. The FCC resulted to filing a lawsuit for $550,000 against CBS for nudity and a lack of preparedness. The courts ended up siding with CBS considering FCC's inconsistencies.

Erin Andrews v Michael David Barrett & Marriott

Image Source/ GlamourESPN anchor Erin Andrews was uncomfortably followed by Michael David Barnett back in 2018. After arriving at her hotel in Nashville, Barnett proceeded to film Andrews through her peephole as she unchanged. In the lawsuit, she sued both Andrews and the hotel for failing to protect her privacy. The court upheld the claim, allocating 51% of the blame to Barrett, and 49% to the hotel.

Padma Lakshmi v Teamsters

Image Source/ Boston.comPadma Lakshmi filed a lawsuit against Boston Teamsters follow a herald of abuse she received from them. While picketing a strike due to the hiring of non-union drivers, the men were said to make sexist, racist and homophobic remarks as staffers came and left. The courts couldn't award Lakshmi a win, claiming it wasn't enough to convict.