Miley Cyrus Lawsuit “Secret Mom” Lawsuit DISMISSED: Judge Shuts Down Wild Adoption Claims
A Tennessee judge dismissed with prejudice the bombshell lawsuit from Arizona woman Jayme Lee claiming she’s Miley Cyrus’s biological mother on December 5, 2025. Lee alleged she gave birth to Miley at age 12 in 1992 and entered a “private adoption agreement” with Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus. The court ruled her claims “false and absurd,” cannot be refiled, and awarded Billy Ray his attorney’s fees. This legally ends Lee’s attempts to force DNA testing and challenge Miley’s parentage—just days after the pop star announced her engagement to Maxx Morando.
What Jayme Lee Actually Claimed
Lee, 45, filed her original complaint in May 2025 in Tennessee, making extraordinary allegations about Miley’s birth and adoption.
Her core claims:
She gave birth to Miley Cyrus in 1992 when she was only 12 years old. Billy Ray and Tish entered a “private adoption agreement” allowing her to name the baby and work as Miley’s nanny and piano teacher. Billy Ray “wrongfully assumed the role” of Miley’s father without her consent. The Cyrus family “misrepresented the circumstances” of the adoption, causing her severe emotional distress.
What she demanded:
Court-ordered DNA maternity and paternity testing of Miley and her parents. The adoption’s legality challenged based on the test results. Recognition of her alleged parental rights.
Lee’s amended complaint in June 2025 added:
No valid adoption papers were ever signed because she was under duress. As a minor, she “lacked capacity to consent” to any adoption. Billy Ray and Tish “cut off all contact” and “threatened her with police action” after Miley’s birth. The Cyrus family engaged in “child abuse and endangerment” by allowing Miley to become an entertainer at a young age.
The Celebrity Name-Drops That Made Headlines
Lee’s lawsuit took a bizarre turn when she started naming A-list celebrities.
Dolly Parton was named as a defendant, with Lee claiming Miley’s godmother had “direct and material knowledge” of the alleged adoption.
Named as supposed eyewitnesses:
Julia Roberts. Hillary Clinton. Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. Neil Patrick Harris.
None of these celebrities commented publicly on the filings.
The Taylor Swift subpoena: On November 13, Lee issued a subpoena to Taylor Swift demanding the pop star return an alleged childhood scrapbook Lee claimed she made for Miley when she was 12. The subpoena alleged Swift had possession of this scrapbook and should return it as evidence.
These celebrity inclusions raised serious questions about the lawsuit’s credibility from the start.
Why Billy Ray Called It Harassment
Billy Ray stayed silent until November 20, when he filed a motion to dismiss calling Lee’s accusations “false and absurd.”
His legal arguments:
The lawsuit was “clearly brought for the purposes of harassing” his family and “needlessly wasting this Court’s time and resources.” Tennessee law does not permit adoption of a child without a court order—private adoption agreements aren’t legally valid. The statute of limitations for breach of contract is six years—long expired for any alleged 1992 agreement. The statute for emotional distress claims is one year—also expired decades ago.
Billy Ray’s December 1 additional response:
He was never properly served with the lawsuit. He only recently became aware of Lee’s amended allegations. He requested the court award him attorney’s fees and costs if the case was dismissed.
His attorney Chase LanCarte emphasized that Lee provided no evidence supporting her extraordinary claims and that her allegations contradicted established Tennessee adoption law.
December 5 Court Ruling: Case Closed
The Davidson County Circuit Court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice on December 5, 2025.
What “dismissed with prejudice” means:
The case is permanently dead—Lee cannot refile this lawsuit. The court found the claims lacked legal merit. Billy Ray Cyrus is entitled to recover his attorney’s fees and costs through a separate process.
Legal implications:
Miley and Tish Cyrus have no further legal obligations from this lawsuit. Lee’s only option is an appeal, which would require proving judicial error—an extremely high bar. Without evidence supporting her claims, an appeal is unlikely to succeed.
The ruling came just days after Miley announced her engagement, effectively shutting down Lee’s attempts to disrupt the pop star’s personal milestone with unsubstantiated parentage claims.
The Legal Reality of Private Adoption Agreements
Lee’s central claim of a “private adoption agreement” reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of adoption law.
Tennessee adoption requirements:
All adoptions must be finalized through court proceedings. A judge must approve the adoption after reviewing home studies, background checks, and termination of parental rights. No private agreements between parties create legal adoptions. Birth certificates are amended through the court system, not private contracts.
Why Lee’s claims couldn’t work legally:
Even if such an agreement existed, it would be void under Tennessee law. A 12-year-old minor cannot legally consent to relinquishing parental rights. No evidence of court proceedings, amended birth certificates, or legal adoption paperwork was presented. Statutes of limitations for any potential contract or emotional distress claims expired decades ago.
Legal experts note that Lee’s lack of understanding about basic adoption law undermined her case from the start.
Lee’s Response and Continued Claims
Following the dismissal, Lee has not publicly commented through official legal channels but has made statements to media.
Her current position:
She maintains her story despite the court ruling. She claims severe childhood trauma caused her to forget the pregnancy and alleged adoption until memories resurfaced as an adult. She attributes memory loss to trafficking and abuse she says occurred when she was 12.
Lee’s expanded allegations:
She claims she approached multiple celebrities about adopting her baby, including Julia Roberts and Hillary Clinton, while misrepresenting her age as 14 instead of 12. She filed a separate federal lawsuit against several police departments alleging discrimination for not investigating her claims. She continues hoping for DNA testing to prove her allegations.
In recent interviews, Lee stated: “I would ask Miley to do a DNA test to get the truth. The truth is crazy sometimes.” She insists she’s not trying to disrupt Miley’s life but wants acknowledgment of what she claims happened.
Similar Celebrity Parentage Lawsuits
Lee’s case isn’t the first time someone has claimed to be a celebrity’s secret parent.
Established patterns in dismissed cases:
Plaintiffs often claim childhood trauma caused memory suppression. Allegations typically lack documentary evidence like birth certificates or DNA tests. Celebrity names are dropped to gain media attention. Cases are dismissed when plaintiffs can’t meet basic evidentiary standards.
Legal precedent:
Courts require substantial evidence to challenge established parentage, especially when challenging decades-old birth records. DNA evidence would be necessary to overcome legal presumptions of parentage. Without the celebrity’s cooperation, obtaining DNA samples is nearly impossible. Statutes of limitations bar most claims filed decades after alleged events.
The Cyrus case follows this pattern—extraordinary claims without extraordinary evidence resulted in swift dismissal.
The Kardashian Connection Lee Claimed
In addition to the Cyrus lawsuit, Lee has made claims involving the Kardashian family.
What Lee alleged:
The Kardashians lived next door to her grandparents in Jamul, California and could help her find an attorney. A then-12-year-old Kim Kardashian caused a car accident that led to Lee being returned to her parents in New Mexico.
The result:
Lee filed a California lawsuit naming every Kardashian family member. That suit was dismissed. No evidence supports any connection between Lee and the Kardashian family.
These additional claims further damaged Lee’s credibility and suggested a pattern of making unsubstantiated allegations against high-profile families.
Where Miley and Billy Ray Stand Now
The lawsuit’s dismissal came during a potential reconciliation between father and daughter.
Their relationship history:
Miley and Billy Ray worked closely during her Disney Channel “Hannah Montana” years. Their relationship became publicly strained after Billy Ray’s 2022 divorce from Tish. Miley didn’t mention her father in her 2024 Grammy Record of the Year acceptance speech, fueling estrangement rumors.
Recent signs of healing:
Billy Ray congratulated Miley on her engagement to Maxx Morando via Instagram. He posted photos with Miley, her godmother Dolly Parton, and fiancé Maxx. Miley released a song called “Secrets” described as a “peace offering” to her father.
The lawsuit’s dismissal allows the family to move forward without this legal distraction during what appears to be a rebuilding period.
Legal Lessons From This Case
Why frivolous lawsuits get dismissed:
Courts require evidence, not just allegations. Legal claims must be filed within statutes of limitations. Fundamental misunderstandings of law (like private adoption agreements) doom cases. Harassment lawsuits waste judicial resources and can result in sanctions.
Protections for public figures:
Public figures can’t be forced to provide DNA samples based on unsupported claims. Courts protect celebrities from harassment through frivolous litigation. Dismissal with prejudice and attorney’s fee awards deter similar lawsuits.
For the general public:
Adoption law is strictly regulated through courts. No private agreements create legal parental rights. Challenging established parentage requires substantial evidence. Statutes of limitations exist for good reasons—stale claims become impossible to defend against.
What Happens With Attorney’s Fees
Billy Ray was awarded his attorney’s fees and costs, which will be determined through a separate court process.
How fee awards work:
Billy Ray’s legal team will submit documentation of hours worked and expenses incurred. Lee will have the opportunity to challenge the amounts as unreasonable. The court will determine the final award amount. If Lee cannot pay, Billy Ray can pursue collection through wage garnishment or asset seizure.
Why courts award fees in these cases:
To compensate defendants forced to defend against meritless claims. To deter others from filing similar harassment lawsuits. To acknowledge that defending against false allegations isn’t free. To hold plaintiffs accountable for wasting court resources.
Attorney’s fees in cases like this can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars depending on how much work was required to secure dismissal.
The Timing With Miley’s Engagement
Lee’s lawsuit gained renewed media attention precisely when Miley announced her engagement to musician Maxx Morando.
The timeline:
Miley confirmed her engagement last week after showing off her ring at the “Avatar: Fire & Ash” premiere. The couple was first linked in 2021 and met on a blind date. Days later, Lee’s lawsuit dismissal was finalized, with media coverage intensifying around both stories.
Miley’s response:
She hasn’t publicly addressed Lee’s claims at any point. Her focus remains on her engagement and career. During a Jimmy Kimmel Live appearance, she joked about her fiancé’s paper and cardboard phobia without mentioning the lawsuit.
The dismissal effectively prevents Lee from further disrupting Miley’s personal milestones with unproven allegations.
FAQ: Miley Cyrus Adoption Lawsuit
Was there ever any evidence supporting Jayme Lee’s claims?
No. Lee provided no birth records, hospital documentation, adoption paperwork, DNA evidence, or credible witness testimony supporting her allegations. Her claims contradicted Tennessee adoption law and basic legal procedures.
Could Jayme Lee appeal the dismissal?
Technically yes, but an appeal would require proving the judge made a legal error. With no evidence supporting her claims and clear statute of limitations issues, an appeal is unlikely to succeed. Appeals are expensive and require new legal arguments, not just disagreement with the ruling.
Why did Lee name so many celebrities in the lawsuit?
Legal experts suggest the celebrity name-drops were likely attempts to gain media attention and legitimacy. Naming Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, and others created headlines but provided no actual evidence. Courts view such tactics as red flags for frivolous litigation.
Can Miley Cyrus be forced to take a DNA test?
No. Without credible evidence supporting parentage claims, courts won’t order DNA testing. The dismissal with prejudice means Lee has no legal pathway to compel Miley or her parents to submit to testing.
What are “private adoption agreements” and are they legal?
Private adoption agreements aren’t legally recognized in any U.S. state. All adoptions must be finalized through court proceedings with judicial approval. Any agreement outside the court system has no legal effect and cannot create or terminate parental rights.
Did Tish Cyrus or Miley Cyrus respond to the lawsuit?
Neither Tish nor Miley issued public statements about Lee’s allegations. Billy Ray was the only family member who formally responded through legal motions. Their silence likely reflected advice from counsel that the claims didn’t warrant dignifying with responses.
How much will Billy Ray Cyrus recover in attorney’s fees?
The exact amount hasn’t been determined yet. It will be calculated through a separate court process based on reasonable and necessary legal fees incurred defending against the lawsuit. Amounts can range from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the work required.
Could someone else file a similar lawsuit claiming to be Miley’s parent?
They could file, but it would likely be dismissed immediately based on this precedent. Courts can also sanction plaintiffs who file obviously frivolous claims. The Cyrus family now has a clear legal record defeating these types of allegations.
What happens if Lee can’t pay the attorney’s fees she owes?
Billy Ray can pursue collection through wage garnishment, bank account levies, or liens against Lee’s property. Judgments can remain enforceable for years. If Lee has no assets or income, collection may be difficult but the debt remains.
Why did this case take from May to December to resolve?
Lee filed amended complaints and continued pushing the case forward despite clear legal problems. Billy Ray initially didn’t respond, likely hoping the case would be dismissed without his involvement. Once he formally moved to dismiss in November, the court acted quickly to end the case in December.
What does “dismissed with prejudice” mean for future claims?
Lee cannot refile this lawsuit or bring similar claims against the Cyrus family based on these allegations. The dismissal is final and permanent. Her only option is appeal, which requires proving legal error—not just disagreement with the outcome.
Are there other pending lawsuits involving Jayme Lee?
According to reports, Lee filed a separate federal lawsuit against police departments alleging discrimination for not investigating her claims. That case’s status is unclear but would face similar evidentiary problems.
Bottom line: The court decisively rejected Jayme Lee’s claims about being Miley Cyrus’s biological mother, finding them legally baseless and filed decades past applicable statutes of limitations. The case demonstrates how courts protect public figures from harassment through frivolous litigation while ensuring that legitimate adoption disputes receive proper legal channels. With the dismissal final and attorney’s fees awarded, this legal saga is over—allowing Miley to focus on her engagement and career without further disruption from unsubstantiated allegations.
About the Author
Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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