‘Excessive Award’: Chris Brown Wins Bid to Revisit $12.9 Million Dog Mauling Verdict, but There’s a Catch

LOS ANGELES — Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Chris Brown has scored a significant courtroom victory after a California judge ruled that a $12.9 million (£9.6 million) damages verdict awarded to his former housekeeper was "excessive".

However, the legal reprieve comes with a major caveat: the verdict will only be overturned for a new trial if the victim refuses to accept a reduced $9.5 million payout.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Huey P. Cotton granted the order on Tuesday, ruling that while Brown remains liable for the December 2020 attack at his Tarzana mansion, the original jury award overreached regarding the severity of the victim's long-term physical injuries.

Judicial Reduction Over 'Insufficient' Evidence

The high-profile lawsuit stems from a 2020 incident in which housekeeper Maria Avila was mauled by Brown’s 200-pound Caucasian Shepherd, Hades, while taking out rubbish at his home. Avila suffered severe facial disfigurement, lacerations, and vision loss, leading a jury to award her $12.9 million in damages following a trial in June.

In challenging the verdict, Brown’s legal team argued for a complete retrial, claiming the jury had been unfairly prejudiced after prosecutors brought up his 2009 felony assault conviction involving ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

Judge Cotton firmly rejected the argument that the trial was prejudiced, upholding the finding of liability against Brown and his corporate entity, Black Pyramid LLC. However, the judge agreed that the total financial damages awarded were disproportionate.

"The court finds there was insufficient evidence of permanent nerve damage and of the value assigned to future pain and suffering," Judge Cotton outlined in his ruling, noting that while Avila undoubtedly suffered severe emotional distress and ongoing pain, the evidence failed to support the full £9.6 million figure calculated by jurors.

A Friday Deadline for the Housekeeper

Under the terms of the conditional order, Avila has been given a strict deadline of Friday 2nd October 2026, to decide her next legal step.

She must formally advise the court whether she will accept the reduced $9.5 million (£7.1 million) judgment or reject the offer and proceed to a fresh trial focused exclusively on reassessing financial damages.

Avila’s legal team had previously argued against cutting the award down to $8 million, floating $11 million as an acceptable middle ground during preliminary discussions earlier this month. Her lead attorney, Nancy Doumanian, has not yet confirmed which route her client intends to take.

Touring Royalties Under Fire

The judicial decision arrives as Avila’s attorneys actively move to garnish Brown's commercial earnings.

With the original judgment unpaid, Avila recently petitioned the court to freeze and attach profits generated from Brown’s lucrative co-headlining North American stadium tour alongside Usher, as well as his music publishing residuals and entertainment royalties.

Whether the two parties settle on the $9.5 million sum or return to the courtroom for a secondary damages trial, Brown remains facing a multi-million-pound payout as enforcement proceedings loom.