The Most Shocking Court Cases Involving Celebrities and the Elite

Yahoo

28-02-2025

Millions of court cases take place across the U.S. every day, but only a few capture national attention. Unsurprisingly, the ones that make headlines often involve high-profile celebrities, from the Kardashians to Alec Baldwin. While some of these cases revolve around small, minor lawsuits, others are actual high-stakes criminal trials, including those for serious charges such as murder.
Although fans admire celebrities for their performances in movies and television, public fascination seems to reach new heights when these stars become involved in these public legal battles.
O.J. Simpson's murder trial might be the most famous celebrity court case ever. If you haven't watched it already, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story is a well-done drama series that chronicles the trial and is mostly accurate. The worst part is that the evidence strongly shows he did murder his ex-wife, but he was found innocent in criminal court.
We all love Snoop and his friendship with Martha Stewart, but he might not as cool as he seems.
Snoop stood trial for conspiracy to murder a man named Philip Woldemariam, who was shot by Snoop's bodyguard in 1993. The rapper was acquitted of the crime a few years later, but the evidence is disconcerting.
The formerly married stars went to trial against one another for defamation, among other allegations. We were all captivated by the trial proceedings as they took place, but the Depp v. Heard limited series shed even more light on this he-said-she-said trial that had people divided and taking sides.
In 2021, Alec Baldwin shot and killed a woman on the set of the movie Rust. It was an accidental shooting that occurred when Baldwin didn't know his prop gun was loaded with live rounds.
He will not face trial for the accidental death, as the charges were dropped in July of 2024 after the judge found out that evidence was withheld by the State, according to the New York Times.
Sofía Vergara called it quits with her most recent husband in 2023, but she was ensnared in a legal battle with a former ex for several years. The custody battle was for Sofía's frozen embryos. In 2021, a judge ruled in favor of Sofía, bringing this complex legal saga to an end. However, her ex brought the case up again in 2023.
Terry Sanderson sued the famous actress and Goop founder for $300,000 following a skiing accident. The two crashed into one another on the slopes at a ritzy Utah ski resort and Sanderson felt Paltrow was responsible for his injuries.
The lawsuit was big news, but they were both cordial following the verdict.
Tragically, 10 people died at Travis Scott's Astroworld music festival, and hundreds of fans were injured at the event in 2021.
More than 500 lawsuits were filed against the rapper and Live Nation, who put on the show. Victims' families wanted justice, claiming that Scott did nothing to protect people in the crowd and may have even egged on the madness.
Angelina and Brad were Hollywood royalty for years, but their divorce has been messier than expected.
In addition to their child custody battle, a point of contention was their shared vineyard property, Miraval. Brad said Angelina 'vindictively' sold her stake in their winery.
In 2017, Taylor Swift took David Mueller, a former DJ, to court, alleging assault.
Originally, Mueller had sued Swift, claiming her comments about him groping her at a meet-and-greet were the reason he lost his job. Swift countersued him and won. This case occurred when Taylor Swift wasn't widely loved in the media, but this trial was taken very seriously by all.
At this point, we all know that Weinstein is a disgusting creep, but none of us knew how awful he was until the trial proceedings. He wasn't prosecuted by 'the People' but by his many victims, who include famous names like Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan.
His multiple trials revealed the heinous and violating behavior that he'd gotten away with for years.
Many fans don't like to acknowledge the pop star's criminal trials, which highlighted Jackson's alleged assault on two young boys at his Neverland Ranch.
While some people see his legacy as tainted by what he allegedly did to Wade Robson and James Safechuck, others have turned a blind eye to this atrocious miscarriage, especially after the star's death.
This legal battle is fascinating and raises complex questions about what can be defined and protected as art. Nirvana's iconic 1991 album Nevermind features a naked baby in a pool. Spencer Elden, who appeared on the album cover, sued the band for inappropriate image use.
A district court judge dismissed the lawsuit, citing a statute of limitations, but the recent re-release of the album has given Elden a chance to fight again.
The story of Britney's conservatorship is a tragic and disturbing one, as it seems she had zero autonomy over herself and her life for years. 'Free Britney' was a years-long movement where her fans fought for her freedom.
In 2021, she was finally freed from the legal restraints of her father, Jamie, much to the glee of her fans.
Dr. Luke was Kesha's producer and owned the record label she was signed to. After years of abuse from him, she finally got out and sued him for assault, harassment, violence, and more.
The messy court proceedings involved lawsuits from both parties, and while things were mostly settled, many feel Kesha did not get the justice she deserved.
Being photographed is an expected part of being in the public eye.
However, Closer Magazine crossed a serious boundary in 2012 when they used a telephoto lens to capture photos of Kate Middleton sunbathing on private property. She won the suit and the court ruled it was an unlawful breach of privacy.
Meghan Markle also took a stand against the media's lack of respect for privacy. She participated in a three-year legal battle with Associated Newspapers, which includes The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, and Mail Online in the UK, for infringing on her copyright and misusing private information. She won the suit and the newspapers had to pay substantial sums to her.
The relationship between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow has always been riddled with controversy and mystery.
You can learn more about the charges in the documentary miniseries Allen v. Farrow, but the gist is that Allen was assaulting their children and behaving inappropriately with them.
Roman Polanski is right beside Woody Allen as one of the most disgusting people in Hollywood. He pleaded guilty to charges involving inappropriate acts with a minor.
However, he was wholly unwilling to go to prison for his crimes. Instead, he fled to Europe, where his citizenship status protects him from extradition, and he's still there today.
Kendall Jenner participated in promoting the infamous Fyre Festival, a luxury music festival that was anything but what was advertised. U.S. Bankruptcy Court's Gregory Messer sued her for her involvement in the scam in 2019. This lawsuit sent a powerful message to influencers about how they will be held accountable for what they say and promote.
In reality, Kendall Jenner was a minor player in this disastrous event. Billy McFarland was the mastermind behind Fyre Festival. He was charged with and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and related charges.
He received a six-year sentence and had to pay over $25 million. This was a pleasant outcome because McFarland was reckless and didn't think he'd be held accountable.
The successful NFL player was found guilty of first-degree murder after shooting Odin Lloyd. He was also suspected of being part of the drive-by shooting in Boston that resulted in the death of Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu.
While he was convicted, he took his own life before serving substantial time.
For many, the reveal that Bill Cosby was a disturbing man was a tough blow, but it also ignited the Me Too Movement.
While he was found guilty of assault in 2018 and received a lengthy sentence, his conviction was sadly overturned. Cosby was released from prison in 2021 and remains a free man despite his crimes.
The Kardashians are no strangers to lawsuits, but the one with Blac Chyna is a doozy.
Blac Chyna sued the entire family, blaming them for the cancellation of her reality show and claiming they made false statements about her. The Kardashians were victorious, however, and did not pay a dime to Blac Chyna.