Last month, we reported that the former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was being sued over a car crash in California. Now, DeGeneres is fighting back against this lawsuit in a big way.
DeGeneres Fights Back Against Lawsuit
People Magazine has obtained court documents that were filed by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles on January 21, 2026. In these documents, it was stated that DeGeneres’ attorneys were filing a motion to quash service of summons. This came after the plaintiff said three attempts were made to deliver legal documents to DeGeneres on January 5, 6 and 7 of this year.
DeGeneres’ lawyers are firing back by claiming delivery of the suit should be declared invalid because the attempts to serve the host with the papers had been made at the business management firm, NKSFB, LLC. The former talk show host’s attorneys acknowledge that “certain documents were dropped off at the reception desk at Neuman + Associates” — a division of NKSFB — on December 23, 2025.
Neuman + Associates partner and founder, Harley J. Neuman issued a declaration in the documents. Indeed, he stated that “Neuman + Associates is not Ms. DeGeneres’ dwelling house, usual place of abode, or usual place of business.” He added that DeGeneres “was not at Neuman + Associates at the time of the drop off.” However, he said that he was.
“There was no verbal interaction with the process server that I am aware of. The process server did not inform anyone of the contents of the documents that I am aware of. Nobody signed any acknowledgement of receipt of the documents that I am aware of. Likewise, I am not aware of a copy of the summons and complaint being mailed to my office,” Neuman claimed.
“There was no reason to believe Ms. DeGeneres would be there at all. And especially not on those two random days in January,” the documents went on to say. This was a referece to the attempts to deliver the documents earlier this year.
Neuman Doubles Down
It should be noted that Neuman serves on the Board of Directors of the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund. He admitted that, “I have a business relationship, through Neuman + Associates, with Ms. DeGeneres and am generally familiar with Ms. DeGeneres’ business operations and personal living situation.”
“It should be reasonably apparent to anyone, especially a process server, that a security guard at a 20-story building is not ‘in charge’ of a business on the fifth floor of that building,” the documents continued.
“And since NKSFB, LLC is neither Ms. DeGeneres’ home nor business, a security guard at the building is extremely unlikely to have a relationship with Ms. DeGeneres such that the security guard would reliably deliver the Complaint documents to Ms. DeGeneres,” they added.
DeGeneres Hit With Lawsuit
The plaintiff, whose identity has not been made public, is suing DeGeneres for general negligence following a motor vehicle accident. The woman is alleging that the incident occurred in Santa Barbara County on October 16, 2023. According to the woman, the alleged incident has caused both property damage and personal injury.
The plaintiff is alleging that DeGeneres crashed into her Tesla after entering an intersection without stopping at a stop sign.
In the wake of this alleged accident, the woman claims to have suffered various consequences. These include wage loss, loss of use of property, hospital and medical expenses. She also claims to have suffered general damage, property damage, loss of earning capacity and loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and anxiety.
The woman suing DeGeneres has reportedly requested a jury trial related to the case. Meanwhile, DeGeneres is currently living in England. She fled there last year with her wife Portia de Rossi, 52, due to Donald Trump’s second presidential victory. Rumors have been swirling that the couple has since tired of life in England. Indeed, they are allegedly plotting a return to sunny California. It remains to be seen if this lawsuit will impact those plans.
This has clearly been an extremely difficult time for DeGeneres both personally and professionally. Needless to say, this lawsuit is the last thing she needs right now. Only time will tell if DeGeneres is able to come out victorious in this lawsuit!