Following Blac Chyna‘s split from Rob Kardashian, the model experienced major ups and downs with her ex and his famous family — including a legal battle that’s been ongoing for years.
Chyna and Kardashian originally confirmed their relationship in January 2016. The pair got engaged after three months of dating and announced that they were expecting their first child together. Their relationship was documented for their E! reality series, Rob & Chyna, from September to December 2016.
After the show was renewed for a second season, the sock designer took to social media to announce the couple’s split. Amid the on and off relationship, E! told Variety that production on Rob & Chyna would be put “on hold” in July 2017. The network noted that the spinoff had “not been in production for several months” as they plan to “follow the [Kardashian] family’s lead” on what to do next.
Later that year, Chyna sued the Kardashians for allegedly interfering with her reality show’s future. The rapper’s attorney, Lynne Ciani, later offered an update on Chyna’s plans to go forward with the legal battle.
“Blac Chyna will seek millions in compensatory and punitive damages from Kris [Jenner], Kim [Kardashian], Khloé [Kardashian], and Kylie [Jenner] for defamation, intentional interference with contract, and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage,” Ciani said in a statement to Us Weekly in October 2020. “Chyna is beyond thrilled that she will have her day in court.”
At the time, the lawyer claimed that Chyna’s career in reality TV was “permanently damaged” as a result of the Kardashian family.
Two months later, a judge ordered the production company behind Rob & Chyna, Bunim/Murray Production, to turn over any unaired footage that was shot for season 2.
Chyna and Rob’s relationship made headlines again in March 2022 when the singer claimed that she didn’t receive any child support. “Yesterday I had to give up 3 of my cars … my reasons … morals, beliefs, being a single mother, no support I’m a MAMA,” Chyna, who shares daughter Dream with Rob and son King with ex Tyga, tweeted at the time.
Rob, for his past, pointed out that he has his daughter from Tuesdays through Saturdays while questioning his ex-fiancée’s allegations. “[I] pay 37k a year for my daughter’s school,” the California native wrote in an Instagram comment via the Shade Room. “I handle every single medical expense. I pay for all her extracurricular activities. Why would I pay child support? Lol.”
Less than a week later, Chyna offered an update on her plans to sue the Kardashian family.
“I am so thankful that a jury will finally listen to what really happened behind closed doors — the lies that were told and the damage that was done,” she tweeted in April 2022. “At the end of the trial, I’m going to be able to proudly tell King and Dream that I did everything I could to right the wrong that was done to me. And that, in life, it is my hope that they will be able to stand up for themselves when it matters too.”
During the trial, all four Kardashian women named in the suit testified against Chyna, as did Rob. Kris’ boyfriend, Corey Gamble, said under oath that he witnessed the model “hitting” the Arthur George socks founder.
Chyna testified as well — specifically on the claims that she pointed a gun at her then-fiancé. She explained the situation as a “joke,” noting that the gun wasn’t loaded and her finger wasn’t on the trigger.
Hours prior to the 2022 Met Gala in May, a verdict was handed down: The Kardashians won the case and Chyna was not awarded any damages. Chyna’s lawyer has since announced that they will appeal.
Scroll down for everything to know about Chyna’s lawsuit against the Kardashian-Jenners:
In 2017, Chyna claimed in court documents that the Kardashian family was responsible for her reality show with Rob ending. Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock
The TV personality originally named Kris, Khloé, Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie. In documents obtained by Us in October 2017, Chyna alleged that she was planning to film a second season of Rob & Chyna with her then-fiancé before the famous family used their "power and influence over the E! network to kill the second season." Chyna claimed that the Kardashians contacted E! in February 2017 to “demand the network not proceed with a second season of Rob & Chyna.” Since the originally filing, Chyna has named solely Kim, Kris, Khloé and Kylie in the lawsuit. Matt Baron/Shutterstock
In October 2020, a judge denied the famous family's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The decision was based on “substantial evidence” submitted by Chyna in the form of unaired footage which was meant to be the show's second season. Courtesy of Hulu
“I plan to re-focus my attention on my trial against Kris Jenner and her daughters Kim, Khloe, and Kylie which starts in 13 days,” Chyna tweeted in April 2022 about the trial. She added: “When they got my #1 hit show killed back in January 2017, that not only hurt me financially and emotionally, that hurt my beautiful KIDS. I’m taking them to court to stand up for my legal rights and to be an example to my kids that ‘what’s right is right, what’s wrong is wrong.’ And what they did was so wrong.” Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock
Kim, Khloé, Kris and Kendall were all in attendance for jury selection in April 2022, as was Chyna. Rob was not at the Los Angeles courthouse for the first day of proceedings on April 18. When an attorney asked potential jurors about their feelings on reality TV, one potential juror replied that he had never watched Keeping Up With the Kardashians, but that he had seen Kim's sex tape. “I have watched [Kim] Kardashian’s sex tape, and I don’t think I can be impartial on this case,” the man said, according to a report from Page Six, adding that he would have trouble being a juror because he would be “replaying that sex tape over and over again” during the trial. Shutterstock (5)
Before trial resumed on April 19, Chyna's mother, Tokyo Toni, went on a rant against the Kardashians via Instagram Live, where she claimed they "looked scary" in person. "It’s just so sad," she said, before accusing Khloé of taking Xanax before heading to court and described Kris as "old and decrepit." After her comments were brought to the judge's attention, Toni was barred from the courtroom, a source exclusively told Us. Courtesy of Tokyo Toni/Instagram
The Lashed Cosmetics entrepreneur took the stand on Wednesday, April 20, alleging that she did not intend to harm Rob after pointing a gun at his head in December 2016. She alleged that the firearm was not loaded and she did not put her finger on the trigger. Chyna claimed her actions were done in a joking manner. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock; Kabik/Starlitepics/mediapunch Inc/Shutterstock
Kris' shocking testimony included claims that Chyna threatened to kill Kylie. “We kept it internal, between the family,” the momager said in court. She further claimed that Tyga had alleged that Chyna was physically abusive to him while they were dating. Stephen Lovekin/BEI/Shutterstock
The youngest Kardashian-Jenner sibling stated during the trial that she had received threatening texts from Chyna while in her relationship with Tyga. She also testified that she "expressed my concerns" about the Lashed Cosmetics founder to her brother. TheRealSPW/MEGA
The Good American cofounder testified in April 2022 that she was focused on protecting Rob from the “outrageous/chaotic/violent behavior" that came with his and Chyna’s relationship. “We were all considering not being a part of such toxicity,” Khloé said during her April 26 Los Angeles court appearance, hinting that the drama between her brother and his ex-fiancée caused problems on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. An email she sent in 2016 was later read to the court, in which Khloé expressed concern with how Chyna’s actions would affect their own show. “We are even considering not moving forward with our show if theirs continues, that’s how strongly we feel this is damaging to our family,” one email read. Kim, for her part, allegedly sent a text after the drama that read, "Chyna can never be on her show.” The KKW Beauty founder clarified in court that she meant to write, “our show,” meaning KUWTK. She noted that her texts are often voice-dictated which would account for the misleading message. That same month, a judge found Kim not guilty of defaming Chyna based on a lack of evidence. Shutterstock (2)
Kris' longtime partner took the stand and recalled walking in on Chyna and Rob mid-argument. "She started whipping it at him," the talent manager alleged during his April 26 testimony, per Page Six. "She was hitting Rob and I got in the middle and got hit too. I had to try to get her attention on me so [Rob] could get his belongings and get out of the house. I could smell the alcohol on her." Once Rob had left, Gamble told the court that he stayed with Chyna to make sure she didn't try to follow him. "I asked her what was going on and she yelled that she hated him ... she didn't like him," Gamble claimed. "She said, 'Why would I like this fat f--ker if he wasn't a part of this family?'" Shutterstock (2)
When Rob took the stand on April 27, he told the judge that he was “very vulnerable” during his relationship with Chyna, which prompted him to “[ignored] her bad behavior toward my family.” “I was probably at the worst place in my entire life, at my weakest, lowest point. She was the one person who brought me in at my lowest point,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking about that stuff. My mind was just in a completely different place. It wasn’t real love.” Rob also shared his side of their alleged December 2016 altercation, explaining that “in the beginning, I thought [Chyna was being] playful.” “I didn’t think it got serious until the second gun encounter … you don’t point a gun on your fiancé’s head whether you think it’s loaded or not,” he said, alleging that she left several bruises on his body with a metal rod. Shutterstock (2)
As the Kardashian-Jenner family headed to the Met Gala on May 2, the jury sided with Kris, Kim, Khloé and Kylie. As a result, Chyna was awarded no damages and the case was dismissed. “On behalf of Kris, Kim, Khloé and Kylie, we want to express our appreciation to the jury. We are also grateful for the steady hand of Judge Gregory Alarcon in making sure that this was a fair trial,” attorneys for the family, Michael Rhodes and Michelle Doolin, told Us in a statement on May 2. “The jury sent a clear message to Ms. White and her lawyer — I hope they are listening. Justice has prevailed.” Damian Dovarganes/AP/Shutterstock
In addition to sharing nine instances of specific jury verdicts against the Kardashian-Jenner family with Us, Ciani revealed on May 2 that Chyna will be appealing her case and that they "demand" a "fair trial." AP/Shutterstock
In June 2022, Us confirmed that the Kardashian-Jenner family requested for Chyna to pay them a total of $391,094.76 in trial expenses. David Fisher/Shutterstock
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