Kelli Ferrell Hires Phaedra Parks to Represent Her in Court Battle Against Ex Over Kids Filming on RHOA!
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kelli Ferrell has enlisted her castmate Phaedra Parks — who is also a licensed attorney — to represent her in a tense legal battle involving her ex-husband, Chuvalo Mark Ferrell.
According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Kelli filed an emergency petition on October 2 after Chuvalo allegedly interfered with their children’s participation in filming The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The filing states that the reality star was awarded primary physical custody of their three children — Chance, born in 2012, and twins Chasiti and Chelsi, born in 2015 — as part of their finalized divorce on September 23, 2024.
Kelli, 40, explained that she has “absolute final decision-making authority” over her children’s education, health, religious upbringing, and extracurricular activities — which includes the Bravo series.
In her petition, Kelli claimed that Chuvalo’s refusal to allow their children to appear on the show caused confusion for Bravo’s production team. “[Chuvalo] has objected, creating confusion and prompting the network to demand judicial clarification before continuing to film the children,” the documents read.
She further alleged that her ex threatened litigation against the network, saying the dispute “immediately impacted filming.” The network, she said, had planned to capture her daughter’s homecoming dance but was forced to delay the shoot.
“As a mother, my children are a significant portion of my storyline,” Kelli stated in the filing. “As such, I consented to their participation in The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 17.” According to her, Bravo and NBC asked the court to formally affirm her authority to include the children in filming. “I believe participating is in my children’s best interest,” she continued. “The memory would be lost if cameras were not able to shoot my daughter’s dance.”
Phaedra Parks, 51 — who joined RHOA season 17 alongside Kelli — was listed as Kelli’s legal representative in the court documents. The case took a turn after Chuvalo held a press conference on September 2, accusing Bravo and court officials of “misconduct.” He is suing Bravo for $200 million.
Chuvalo’s attorney, Latoya Francis-Williams, disputed Kelli’s filing. “After reviewing Ms. Potter-Ferrell’s emergency filing, it is clear the filing is both procedurally improper and legally unfounded under Georgia law. This motion is … an attempt to reopen and modify a final custody decree that has been in place since September 2024.”
She continued, “Georgia law strictly prohibits using emergency motions to rewrite final custody terms without a proper petition and proof of a material change in circumstances. What’s most troubling is the timing and intent.”
Latoya Francis-Williams added that Chuvalo “never consented” to having his children filmed for The Real Housewives of Atlanta, saying, “As their father, he has every right to protect their privacy and emotional well-being. Equally concerning is the decision to return this case to the same judge who previously stripped Mr. Ferrell of his home, business, vehicles, and primary income source without due process.”
She concluded, “A hearing is now scheduled for November 7, 2025, and Mr. Ferrell looks forward to ensuring the truth is finally presented on the record.” On October 13, Kelli filed an amended petition reiterating her claims. But just a few days later, on October 17, she withdrew her request for an emergency hearing.
“Out of respect for the Court’s time and professionalism, I have chosen to withdraw my Ex Parte Motion,” Kelli said. “This decision reflects my commitment to allowing our family to move forward while preserving what matters most — quality time with our daughters during their tender years.”
That same day, she filed paperwork appointing a process server to serve her ex-husband with legal documents. This isn’t the first time the exes have clashed.
In July, Kelli accused Chuvalo of falling behind on child support payments. He, in turn, claimed he would challenge the court’s decision that awarded Kelli the majority of their marital assets — including a restaurant they launched together.
Kelli, who made her full-time debut on RHOA in Season 16, previously filmed a memorable scene celebrating her daughter Chloe’s 17th birthday with 17 luxury gifts.
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Avigail is an Entertainment blogger at All About The Tea, who specializes in The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac. Avigail has a background in marketing. She’s a Brooklynite living in the Bahamas, with a passion for travel, writing, reality TV watching, pop culture and spoken word.
