Overview
- The judge ruled on June 10, 2026 that jurors may not hear about Chris Brown’s 2009 assault on Rihanna because the court found the past incident would be unduly prejudicial compared with its relevance.
- The underlying civil suit was filed by Maria Avila, who says her sister Maria was mauled by Brown’s dog Hades in 2020 at his Tarzana home and suffered severe wounds that required extensive medical care.
- Chris Brown denies liability and his lawyers have argued the 2009 incident is irrelevant to the dog-bite claims while also saying the plaintiff may have provoked the dog.
- The order reflects a standard legal test that weighs probative value against unfair prejudice, meaning the trial will center on evidence about dog control, provocation, and medical harm rather than the defendant’s unrelated past conduct.
- Pretrial disputes and scheduling remain unresolved, so the next steps will test what other background facts the judge allows and will shape whether the case proceeds to a jury that will decide liability and the size of any damages award.