Keiarna Stewart Sues Deborah Williams for $10 Million After 'RHOP' Season 8 Fight

To many fans, Season 8 of The Real Housewives of Potomac will go down as one of the messiest seasons of the series, if not throughout the entire Bravo franchise. The season was riddled with drama, as several of the ladies refused to get along. As a result, the show added new faces to the mix after two of its stars, Robyn Dixon and Candiace Dillard Bassett, made their exits ahead of Season 9.

In addition to the main cast members of Potomac failing to make solid connections in Season 8, the series' resident "friends of" the season weren't so friendly.

Ahead of the season, reports surfaced that Keiarna Stewart physically fought Deborah Williams. Keiarna and Deborah came on the show because of their friendships with Wendy Osefo and Ashley Darby.

Keiarna and Deborah's fight was a much-buzzed-about moment during their time on RHOP. Season 9 could cause more of the same as we know Keairna is suing Deborah for the damages she allegedly caused after the fight.

Here's what to know about the legal Potomac proceedings.

On Feb. 26, 2024, Keiarna sued Deborah. Her counsel filed the lawsuit in the DC Superior Court. The lawsuit included Keiarna suing Deborah for multiple counts, including "assault, battery," and "intentional infliction of emotional distress." In court documents obtained by Distractify, Keiarna demanded Deborah pay $10 million plus "punitive damages" for the alleged harm inflicted on her.

Keiarna's claim also delves more into why the fight between her and Deborah broke out. The K. Stewart Beauty and Wellness CEO stated in court that Deborah's "inflammatory comments" about Candiace's husband, Chris Bassett, was the catalyst for the fight. Keiarna said Deborah and Candiace began arguing, resulting in Deborah allegedly hitting Candiace with "heavy glass filled with a beverage.” The drink from the glass got on Keiarna, who was nearby.

In the court doc, Keiarna said the glass hit her forehead, causing a "serious laceration" to her forehead, which left a "permanent scar." The lawsuit claimed that Keiarna suffered "substantial damages" after her and Deborah's fight, including, but not limited to, "extreme and permanent pain and suffering, permanent and disfiguring injury to her face and forehead, humiliation, mental distress, and past and future medical expenses."

"Defendant intentionally caused severe emotional distress to Plaintiff by her willful, wanton, extremely reckless, and outrageous conduct, including, but not limited to, engaging in a senseless physical attack upon the person of Plaintiff, which directly led to Plaintiff’s severe bodily injuries," Keiarna's attorneys at Henderson Law in D.C. wrote. "Defendant’s conduct in throwing a heavy glass at Plaintiff’s face can reasonably be regarded as extreme and outrageous, given the nature and circumstances of the situation."

Unfortunately for those who enjoy watching the Potomac messiness on TV, Keiarna and Deborah's lawsuit won't play out on the show. Deborah wasn't asked to return to RHOP as a friend. Keiarna, however, announced in May 2024 that she was asked back to film Season 9 with the cast.

Despite it not airing on the show, the lawsuit is set to continue through 2025. Keiarna may want $10 million from Deborah, but she won't give it to her—at least, not without a fight. According to her defense team, she "denies all liability on all claims and all counts." She's also asking that the courts dismiss the case "with prejudice," meaning Keiarna can't open the lawsuit up again once it's dismissed.

The Real Housewives of Potomac is available to stream on Peacock.