Welcome to The Bravo Docket, where pop culture meets the courtroom. Join Cesie and Angela, two attorneys with a passion for pop culture, as they dive into the juiciest lawsuits and legal battles in the world of pop culture. Each episode breaks down sensational legal disputes, making complex issues both engaging and accessible. Whether you're here for facts, fun, or Law 101, get ready to laugh, learn, and lawyer up with The Bravo Docket!
Cesie is licensed to practice in California and New York. Angela is licensed to practice in Texas and was admitted to the bars of Kansas and Missouri. The podcast, the statements we make, whether in our own media or elsewhere, and any content we post are for entertainment purposes only and are not legal advice. By listening to the podcast you are not a client of Cesie, Angela, or The Docket, LLC. Any party consuming information provided by The Bravo Docket should consult a lawyer for legal advice. The podcast, our opinions, and our posts, are our own and are not associated with our past and/or current employers, Bravo TV, or any other television network.
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In the second part of our coverage on Todd and Julie Chrisley's sentencing, we discuss their defenses to support why they should receive reduced (or no - in Julie's case), jail time, what their sentences were, and what happens next for them and their family. As always, our podcast, the statements we make whether in our own media or elsewhere, and any content we post are for entertainment purposes only and do not provide legal advice. Any party consuming our information should consult a lawyer fo...
Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced on November 22, 2022 after a jury found them guilty of many federal criminal charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit tax evasion.The sentencing involved the government and Todd and Julie submitting memorandums outlining what sentences they believed they deserved based on the crimes committed, level of responsibility taken, prior crimes, and more. We discuss how sentences are calculated and what spe...
Bethenny Frankel recently sent TikTok creators cease and desist letters in a move she claimed was to protect her brand, but really ended up turning into a PR nightmare. But what exactly were these content creators saying and did it legally warrant such measures? At the same time, Bethenny also filed a lawsuit against TikTok claiming that the platform was financially benefitting from infringing on her right of publicity by using her voice and likeness. We do a deep dive into that providing some o...
Dance Mom to Dance Con - Part 2: In this episode Abby Lee Miller enters a guilty plea and completes the transition from Dance Mom reality star to Dance Con. We discuss the sentencing hearing, explain how it may be a preview of what might occur in Jen Shah's sentencing in December, and explain the arguments Abby Lee's defense counsel made for less jail time. We also go into detail about the evidence the FBI obtained, including some juicy emails and photos entered into evidence by the FBI agent on...
We are still feeling the after effects from attending BravoCon and want to share all about our interactions in this jam-packed episode. But what about the law? - you might say. Don't fret, we have found a way to link every interaction we had to a burning legal question you've had. We address what Jen Shah's presence at the afterparty could mean for her sentencing, the details of Lisa Barlow's legally compliant SEC filing, the deets about Bravolebs' contracts - YES we finally got some info, Nene ...
We're dancing our way over to a show we were prompted to research by a listener suggestion - Dance Moms! In this two-part series, we are going to discuss the law as it applies to children on reality tv, provide insight into Abbey Lee Miller's bankruptcy, discuss her unsavory antics on the show, and her indictment for bankruptcy fraud. We go over some parallels to the Teresa and Joe and the Chrisleys and some potential Girardi similarities. We end the episode just as Abbey Lee pleads guilty becau...
This is the second part of our coverage on the most requested topic, Bethenny Frankel's divorce from Jason Hoppy. This picks up with the aftermath of the apartment determination and covers Jason's arrest and the tensions surrounding yet another custody battle. We discuss why the proceedings took so long and how the divorce was finalized (or was it? - just kidding! It definitely was). Access our Patreon, Instagram, Website, YouTube, and more here: https://linktr.ee/thebravodocket The Bravo Docket...
We are back and tackling the most requested topic, Bethenny Frankel's divorce from Jason Hoppe. We know to everyone, and probably mostly to Bethenny, this divorce felt like it would never conclude. Well, you're about to learn why in this two-part series on the contentious divorce, property, and custody battle. There's pre-nups, poop (ew gross), and puppies. What more could you want? Access our Patreon, Instagram, Website, YouTube, and more here: https://linktr.ee/thebravodocket The Bravo Docket ...
We are picking up where we left off, reading through Edelson's complaint against Erika Girardi and former Girardi Keese attorneys, lenders, and case-runners. We then discuss the case Nicolas Cage's ex girlfriend filed against Erika and her companies as well as the...unclear...lawsuit an alleged former client filed against Bank of America that mentions Tom, Erika, Rick Hilton, and Mauricio. As always, we share our insights, break down the law, and share some personal tips. Access our Patreon, Ins...
Erika Jayne, former wife of now disgraced Plaintiff's attorney Tom Girardi, has been directly named in a number of lawsuits over the past months and has been at the center of public drama. Most recently, she was served with papers after returning from a Hawaiian vacation. But what was in those papers? We know, and in this episode and the next, we are reading the facts and claims alleged. We also discuss how Erika was ordered to return her $750,000 earrings. In Part II, we will cover the rest of ...
One week before Jen Shah's trial was scheduled to begin, she pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, accepting the prosecution's plea deal and erasing the trial from our calendars. But what did she plead guilty to? What are the conditions of her plea? What happens between now and sentencing? What will happen at sentencing? What if she can't pay the forfeiture and restitution ordered? Will Coach Shah have to pay any part of that for her? We answer these questions and more...
The cease and desist letter - an effective legal tool and often mispronounced it may as well be its own character on the Real Housewives. In this episode we explain what a cease and desist letter is and give some amazing examples, and responses, from pop culture and the real housewives. Do you all remember what a storyline Denise's cease and desist letter was on Beverly Hills??? We do... Access our Patreon, Instagram, Website, YouTube, and more here: https://linktr.ee/thebravodocket The Bravo Do...
Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality show following their family "Chrisley Knows Best," were recently found guilty of several crimes stemming from their scheme of fraudulently obtaining loans using forged documents and failing to pay the taxes they owed. In this episode, we dive into crimes - going back as early as 2009. Todd and Julie began their fraudulent behavior long before their reality show even premiered. This is a jam-packed episode with multiple state and federal agencies, lot...
This episode delves into the extensive legal issues and criminal charges faced by Apollo Nida, ex-husband of Phaedra Parks. It explores Angela Stanton's controversial book, which alleges Phaedra's involvement in early criminal enterprises and a complex auto title fraud scheme. The hosts detail the drama of Phaedra's defamation lawsuit, her challenging depositions, and Apollo's subsequent bank fraud conviction, highlighting the Secret Service's critical involvement and a surprising presidential pardon.
As a t/w this episode discusses abuse allegations and contains explicit language. In this episode we discuss Johnny Depp’s defamation claims against Amber Heard and her defamation counterclaims against Depp. We provide a summary of domestic violence and the biases that victims face. We provide a high-level overview of the claims and statements at issue then discuss the elements of defamation each party must prove here by discussing the jury instructions the jurors in this case are using to come ...
In this episode we provide the groundwork necessary to understand Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard by first discussing Depp's lawsuit against the British tabloid "The Sun." We discuss the important legal and procedural differences between defamation in the US and UK and how they affected Depp's case. We then review each of the 14 incidents of violence "The Sun" used to defend their statement. Though we realize the US trial is at the top of everyone's interest, understanding t...
One of the first lawsuits we wanted to cover when we started the podcast was Jim Bellino's lawsuit against Heather McDonald, Shannon Storms Beador, and Tamra Judge for what he claims were defamatory statements at a live-recording of the Juicy Scoop podcast. Researching and recording this did not disappoint. We uncovered details of an FBI sting Bellino was involved in, explain our fears of trampoline parks, detail the elements of defamation suits as well as defending against them using California...
As you have probably heard, there is a new civil case waiting in the wings to be filed against Erika and others related to Tom Girardi's law firm. This lawsuit has not yet been filed, but we have seen the nearly 100-page draft complaint accusing Erika Girardi of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, ("RICO"). In this episode, we explain what facts the complaint alleges to support the claim that Tom's firm was nothing more than a "family enterprise" poised to suck in v...
Before Jen's trial was moved, both Jen and the government filed motions seeking to exclude certain evidence from ever reaching the jury's eyes. We discuss what that evidence is - and why Jen wants to keep it out while the government wants to rely upon it to put on their case. Not to spoil it, but the evidence includes Jen's supposed threats to Stu and his wife, missing account information for her bank accounts in Kosovo, clips from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and more! Jen also subpoen...
Now that the epic second season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is done, we thought we would review the statements Jen Shah and her husband gave about her pending criminal case and analyze them in the context of what we have learned about the case from the pleadings and the show. We also revisited the pre-trial motions (which we covered in detail in a prior episode) to get a sense of what her defense might be leading into trial and see whether the statements she made align with that def...
Though Jen Shah’s trial has been moved, we still wanted to give you some insight into the case, starting with the sentencing process and the sentences some of her co-defendants have already received. As we discuss, the process includes sentencing submissions in which both sides put forth what they think the defendant should get, and the defendant puts forth evidence of their good behavior and states what led them to commit the crime. They are fascinating and help humanize the defendant. Another ...
We are finally covering the many lawsuits Lisa Vanderpump, of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, has faced - and buckle up because these cover a wide-range of topics. From slip and falls and food poisioning at SUR to unpaid rent and unpaid fruit and veggie orders at Villa Blanca and Pump, we're digging into all of it. There's also some worms ... skip ahead if you're squeamish... and sexual harassment at Vanderpump Dogs. We also discuss what to expect if you go to a plaintiff's attorney with a...
In this episode we discuss the lawsuit Dr. Jen Armstrong's billionaire ex-boyfriend filed against her for over $1,000,000 and outline who got dragged into the lawsuit with her. We're not saying she was a gold digger..... but there are tales of "grifting" and "fleecing," multiple frauds alleged, paternity tests, and even bonus embezzlement and blackmail allegations. We discuss the bench trial and the opinion from the California Court of Appeals as you will also learn what a SLAPP motion is, and w...
In this episode, we cover the allegations James made against his former business partner in their business divorce and discuss the tax liens filed against James and the possible tax advantages James is benefiting from in Puerto Rico. We alse cover the jurisdictional issues that are at the core of Noella's qualms with James' divorce petition in Puerto Rico. Access our Patreon, Instagram, Website, YouTube, and more here: https://linktr.ee/thebravodocket The Bravo Docket podcast, the statements we ...
Who knew a new housewife would bring us so many lawsuits to summarize? This episode focuses on newest Orange County Housewife, Noella Bergener, and her husband who goes by the trademarked and highly promoted moniker of Sweet James. Sweet James has gone through three divorces that we cover in this episode - his divorce from his first wife, his divorce from his law firm business partner, and his recent divorce from Noella. They say, there's nothing like a woman scorned, but after reading his forme...
In this bi-coastal Real Housewife medical malpractice episode we discuss the basics of what a medical malpractice claim is, why these types of lawsuits can be so difficult for a patient to prove and how malpractice insurance typically works. As always, our podcast, the statements we make whether in our own media or elsewhere, and any content we post are for entertainment purposes only and do not provide legal advice. Any party consuming our information should consult a lawyer for legal advice. T...
In this episode, we share about our experience on that and then dive head first into many of the questions we got from you about the Girardi cases and Erika's behavior at the reunion. You all asked us such great questions and we hope this clarifies things further. We will likely put a pin in Girardi until we get another large case development. We have just launched a new YouTube channel with extra content and a Patreon where you can support us and get benefits! Links to those are available below...
Are you ready for our thoughts on Erika's behavior from the reunion? In this episode, we cover the recent drama between two attorneys involved in the Girardi litigations and give our (ranting) thoughts on Erika's legal and factual inconsistencies from the reunion. We are not holding back. Access listening links, bonus content, and near-daily updates here: https://linktr.ee/thebravodocket The Bravo Docket podcast, the statements we make whether in our own media or elsewhere, and any content we po...
We usually release episodes bi-weekly but given what is happening on SLC right now, we thought we should revisit our original episode on Jen Shah. This episode was originally first released on April 5, 2021. We will continue our Erika discussion next week and return to publishing every other week again. In this emergency episode we discuss the recent, shocking arrest of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast member, Jen Shah. We explain how the alleged scheme functioned, what the charges against...
We were due for a Girardi update, weren't we? Now that the season of Beverly Hills is over, we thought we should revisit the Girardi cases and provide an overview of what has happened since we released our last Girardi update this past June. There have been HUGE filings and allegations made within the bankruptcies that we had to share. The parallels with the Teresa and Joe fraud case cannot be more similar. Please listen to our past Girardi episodes for a refresher on the case. We have 4 episode...
