Why Ty Pennington Was Once Hit With A $4 Million Lawsuit

HGTV's Ty Pennington has had a rocky history with the law since becoming the home improvement celebrity he is today. The former model found his start on the TLC hit series "Trading Spaces." It wasn't until his hosting gig on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" that he became a household name for home improvement show lovers. The star hit the skids after reports of his DUI went public in 2007. But it's not the only time that Pennington had a run-in with the law.

The carpenter went on to star in many other hit shows, like the HGTV series "Ty Breaker," and now he is working with the network on "Rock the Block," where he has reclaimed his fame. What fans may not know is that the beloved reality star has also been sued for a lot of money; $4 million, in fact. A lawsuit over alleged damages to an art gallery came around the same time Pennington was arrested, so it's safe to say 2007 was not his year.

Per TMZ, gallery owner Melissa Ross filed a lawsuit in September 2007 against Ty Pennington and his then-partner Andrea Bock after claiming the two invaded her art gallery to display their collaborative furniture line called "Art Design Home Decor" (or ADHD, for short). Pennington has also been open about his struggles with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Ross alleged that Bock approached her with an idea to create a furniture display in the gallery that would blend with the art that is traditionally displayed in the space. After shaking hands with Pennington and Bock, Ross said the pair nudged her out of her own gallery, consuming the space with only their product. Ross later sought $4 million in damages from Pennington and Bock. A representative of Pennington told TMZ, "Anyone with $320 can file a lawsuit — even a nuisance suit like this one. This suit has no merit." According to court documents, the case was dismissed in November of that year.

Pennington has been slapped with a lawsuit more than once. In 2004, the carpenter was sued by the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association after Pennington allegedly never showed up for an event that was organized by the group, even though they had a signed contract (via The Oklahoman). According to the suit, the association was seeking $22,000 in damages. Pennington denied liability.