Chris Brown Seeks New Trial in $12.9 Million Dog-Attack Verdict, Citing Rihanna Evidence

Chris Brown's lawyers filed a motion on 10 August 2026 asking a court to throw out a jury verdict that ordered the singer to pay his former housekeeper $12.9 million for injuries she suffered in a dog mauling at his Los Angeles-area home.

The June verdict came after a two-week civil trial. Maria Avila, who worked as Brown's housekeeper, was mauled by a Caucasian shepherd — a breed that can weigh around 200 pounds — while cleaning his home in 2020. The attack left her disfigured, according to coverage of the verdict by USA Today. A jury awarded Avila $12.9 million in damages, a figure Brown's legal team is now contesting.

Brown's lawyers argue that the verdict was tainted by evidence about his 2009 guilty plea to assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. During cross-examination, Avila's attorney asked Brown whether he is a convicted felon. Brown answered, "yes, ma'am," referencing the 2009 plea without offering details. His lawyers called the question "inherently inflammatory" and argued that conduct in an unrelated domestic-violence matter from 17 years earlier had no bearing on Avila's injuries, causation, or damages, according to Billboard.

The motion also targets a second evidentiary ruling. Brown's lawyers said the trial judge improperly excluded evidence that his head of security gave money to Avila's family after the incident. They argue that keeping that payment from the jury contributed to an inflated damages figure.

At trial, Brown accepted some liability for the dog attack but argued that Avila was partially at fault. He testified that he had warned her not to go outside unaccompanied because of the dog, which he described as unfriendly. Brown also acknowledged that he did not call 911 after the attack, according to TMZ. The original lawsuit sought $90 million in damages.

Brown's legal team has asked the court to order a brand-new trial before a different jury. Avila's lawyer, Nancy Doumanian, told Billboard she expects the judge to deny the motion.

In a separate court filing last month, Doumanian argued that money to satisfy Avila's judgment should come out of Brown's profits from his ongoing stadium tour with Usher. That filing signals Avila's side is already focused on collection, not just the verdict itself.

Brown pleaded guilty in June 2009 to one count of felony assault against Rihanna, an incident that occurred in February of that year. The plea resulted in probation, community service, and a restraining order — terms that have long since expired but left a felony conviction on his record, which is what Avila's attorney invoked at trial.

The case now rests with the trial judge, who must decide whether the contested evidence warrants a new trial or whether the June verdict stands.