Kelli Ferrell’s Ex CRIES BROKE In Court — Says He Can’t Afford Child Support Payments!
Kelli Ferrell’s Ex CRIES BROKE In Court — Says He Can’t Afford Child Support Payments!
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kelli Ferrell and her ex-husband, Chuvalo Ferrell, are back in court — this time over child support payments.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Chuvalo filed a petition on February 2 requesting a reduction in his monthly child support obligation. The filing comes after a final judgment and divorce decree was issued for the couple on September 24, 2024.
As previously reported, Kelli, 40, first filed for divorce from Chuvalo in 2022. The former couple shares three children together: Chance, born in 2012, and twins Chasiti and Chelsi, born in 2015. Kelli also has an older daughter from a previous relationship. Following their split, Kelli was granted primary custody of the children, while the pair agreed to share legal custody.
Chuvalo was ordered to pay $3,991 a month in child support, a figure based on his income at the time, which was listed at $19,847 per month. Meanwhile, Kelli’s reported income was around $15,000 per month.
In his recent court filing, Chuvalo argued that circumstances have shifted dramatically since the order was finalized. “There has been a substantial change in his income and financial status,” Chuvalo’s petition stated. “Specifically, that he is no longer working for the family business that was granted to [Kelli] and his income has been substantially reduced.”
He further explained that the downturn in his earnings was completely outside of his control, writing that the reduction was “involuntary.” Chuvalo is asking the court to lower his child support payments on both a temporary and permanent basis.
Kelli has not yet formally responded to his petition. This isn’t the first time legal matters between the exes have escalated. Back in August 2024, a judge overseeing their divorce ordered Chuvalo to serve time in jail after he failed to pay $14,889 that Kelli claimed she was owed. Chuvalo was booked into the Rockdale County jail on August 7, 2024, but was released a few days later after posting bond.
According to Kelli’s original divorce petition, the couple married on August 20, 2011, and separated in January 2022.
Despite their rocky history, Chuvalo’s representative previously told In Touch that he remains focused on maintaining stability for his family during the ongoing disputes. “Mr. Ferrell appreciates the interest in his ongoing personal matters, but he is committed to focusing on his family and professional responsibilities during this challenging time,” his rep shared.
The statement continued, “It is important to note that the details surrounding his divorce from Kelli Potter-Ferrell are complex and sensitive. Mr. Ferrell has consistently sought to resolve these issues amicably and in the best interests of all parties involved, particularly their children.”
While Chuvalo is battling over child support, Kelli is facing her own legal hurdles. As In Touch recently reported, Kelli was sued by her landlord for allegedly failing to pay rent on her Atlanta-area restaurant, Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles. In a lawsuit filed on March 26, Kelli’s landlord claimed she owed $101,140.64 in unpaid rent, interest, and late fees.
The complaint stated that Kelli leased the commercial space for her Sandy Springs, Georgia location in January 2024. According to the lawsuit, Kelli and her business breached the terms of the lease “by, amongst other things, failing to obtain required permits, failing to commence tenant improvements, failing to open the premises for business with the public, in addition to failing to pay” rent as scheduled.
The landlord alleged that despite multiple Notices of Default being issued, neither Kelli nor Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles “cured the Monetary Default or the Non-Monetary Defaults.” As of now, both legal matters remain pending.
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Olivia Davis is a Staff Writer at All About The Tea. Olivia’s hobbies include binging Netflix series, and watching Housewives on Bravo. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in History.