Ellen DeGeneres Seeks To Strike Car Crash Lawsuit In Move That Protects UK Stay

Ellen DeGeneres appears to be pushing back hard against anything that could disrupt her new life in the U.K.

The former “Ellen DeGeneres Show” host, who relocated overseas in 2024 with her wife, Portia de Rossi, is once again dealing with her negligence lawsuit. 

The case, originally filed in September 2025, recently took a new turn after the plaintiff requested a jury trial. In response, DeGeneres is challenging the validity of how the legal papers were served.

In a court filing dated January 21 at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, DeGeneres' legal team asked the court to invalidate the service of summons in the case.

According to the filing, her attorneys moved to strike the service after multiple attempts were allegedly made to deliver legal documents to DeGeneres on January 5, 6, and 7.

The defense argued that the service was improper because the documents were delivered to her business management firm, NKSFB, LLC, rather than her personal residence, PEOPLE Magazine reports.

The motion further stated that on December 23, 2025, paperwork was left at the reception desk of a division of NKSFB, Neuman + Associates. However, the firm's partner and founder, Harley Neuman, clarified in a sworn declaration that the office is neither DeGeneres' usual residence nor her regular place of business.

Neuman added that DeGeneres was not present on the day the documents were dropped off and that no one at the firm was informed of the contents. He also stated there was no signed acknowledgment confirming receipt.

"There was no reason to believe Ms. DeGeneres would be there at all, and especially not on those two random days in January," the declaration read. 

DeGeneres' latest move comes weeks after the plaintiff had requested a jury trial that would most likely involve the comedian's presence in America, despite her living abroad. 

Per The Blast, the plaintiff’s December 15 request also indicated that mediation took place on December 9. However, DeGeneres had yet to be formally served, due to her residing overseas.

Court officials noted that service will be carried out under the Hague Convention at her U.K. address.

While the case unfolds, the incident took place back in October 2023 on a busy Santa Barbara road.

As The Blast previously reported, the driver, who is said to have been driving a Tesla, accused the comedian of failing to obey a stop sign and collided with her.

According to the driver, she approached an intersection marked with multiple traffic signs and came to a complete stop, even taking extra care to check for oncoming vehicles.

However, as she began to proceed, DeGeneres' vehicle allegedly struck hers head-on, causing injuries. The plaintiff then sued the former talk show host for negligence, claiming DeGeneres disregarded her own stop sign.

Amid her ongoing legal troubles, DeGeneres also weighed in on recent events in Minneapolis.

Following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent earlier this month, the former show host shared her reaction on Instagram.

"I'm so sad, and so angry, and so worried," she wrote on her Instagram, before reposting a statement from Good's wife, Becca Good, according to The Blast.

While her comments sparked mixed reactions online from critics who thought she was being hypocritical, given she didn’t react to Charlie Kirk’s death, DeGeneres didn’t back down. 

In another update, the 68-year-old media personality addressed the situation in Minneapolis with a heartfelt message, highlighting that the city holds personal meaning for her as she shot her last show there.

Meanwhile, DeGeneres' British farmhouse has been withdrawn from the market, six months after being listed for sale through Andrew Barnes of Sotheby's International Realty.

As The Blast reported, the television star had initially hoped to secure $30 million for the property, which she and her wife purchased for $18 million in June 2024. The reason for the removal has not yet been disclosed.

Speculation suggests DeGeneres may have either sold the estate privately, decided to retain ownership, or is considering relisting at a different price.

The farmhouse features a picturesque courtyard, a guesthouse, a barn converted into a pub, a heated swimming pool, and a gym.