Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington is dealing with legal issues off the court. The 27-year-old says his ex-girlfriend Brittany Renner tried to use courtside pressure to push for a major increase in child support.
Washington accused Renner’s California lawyer of threatening to have him served court papers during an NBA game. The alleged threat came as Renner pushed to move their custody case from North Carolina to California. Washington wants none of it. He filed paperwork asking a North Carolina judge to shut down Renner’s California play entirely.
P.J. Washington Claims Ex-partner Served $35K Child Support Papers on Game Day
Renner’s attorney threatened to purchase visitor-bench tickets for Washington’s November 28th game against the Lakers and November 29th game, according to the filing.
The plan? Serve Washington court papers on national television unless he agreed to move the case to California. That’s a calculated move designed to embarrass the Mavs forward in front of millions of viewers.
Washington’s legal team stated that Renner’s lawyer made “blatant threats” to “coerce” him into consenting to the support battle being moved to California. The Mavericks star isn’t budging. He maintains California has zero jurisdiction over him and the case belongs in North Carolina.
The financial stakes are massive. Renner filed court documents demanding Washington pay her “at least $35,000” per month, more than six times the current $5,500 figure.
She claims the original amount was agreed upon when they both lived in North Carolina. Now that she’s moved to California, she says she “cannot afford the high cost of living given the current child support orders”.
The timing, however, isn’t coincidental. Washington signed a four-year, $90 million extension with the Mavericks in September last year. His baby mama saw the payday and immediately went to court.
Washington argued that their son Paul III was conceived in North Carolina, not California. He claims they visited California together only once during their entire relationship. The couple shares a 4-year-old son but split shortly after the child was born in May 2021.
Their legal fight is still ongoing. Renner filed a new case in Los Angeles in September 2025, and Washington has asked the court to dismiss it. A judge hasn’t ruled on the jurisdiction issue yet.
For now, Washington continues playing for the Mavericks while his attorneys handle the case.
