Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert Divorce 2015: 'The Voice' Judge Fires Back At Tabloids, Files Defamation Lawsuit

Blake Shelton Attends Academy of Country Music Awards
Blake Shelton at the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2010. |

Blake Shelton is no longer the guy who gamely engages the tabloids and the paparazzi. While "The Voice" judge had been quite relaxed when dealing with rumors regarding his professional and personal activities, the former husband of Miranda Lambert draws the line to drug and alcohol abuse. Reports now surface that the "Neon Lights" star is suing a news agency following the publication of false information regarding his well being. Sources disclosed that Blake Shelton aims to stop the widespread practice of the media, in which reporters simply churn out incorrect details to attract the public's attention.

"Blake Shelton has had enough," reads the statement included in the legal documents filed in behalf of Blake Shelton. The lawsuit further notes, "Mr. Shelton is not in rehab and has no plans to go to rehab, which Bauer would have known had it bothered to contact any of Mr. Shelton's representatives prior to publication of its misleading Rehab Story." The story in contention is the September 28 issue of In Touch Weekly, which carried the title "Rehab for Blake: He Finally Hits Rock Bottom," according to Rolling Stone. In the disputed article, the reporter wrote that one of the most relevant factors that contributed to the breakdown of the marriage between Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton had been the "Sangria" singer's heavy drinking.

Apart from his alleged alcoholic substance abuse, Blake Shelton also refuted the claim of the In Touch report that his friends had been "terrified that he could end up dead at this rate." The story also reported that "The Voice" judge's womanizing "helped torpedo his four-year marriage" to Miranda Lambert, according to TMZ. Blake Shelton also slammed the details regarding the instance when his then wife, "Something Bad" singer Miranda Lambert, caught him with a number of women in their family home. The lawsuit against the magazine had been filed against the parent company of In Touch, Bauer Publishing Co. Blake Shelton's defamation case was filed on Monday by lawyer Larry Stein at the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Reports claim that Blake Shelton eyes roughly $2 million in damages for this lawsuit. Apart from the fine, Blake Shelton also aims to get an injunction to halt the publication of any future story by In Touch in reference to the allegedly false claims specified in the lawsuit.

In Touch has yet to respond to the accusations of Blake Shelton.