The Real Housewives of Orange County star Noella Bergener had a rough first season as a new Housewife. Aside from the many issues she had with her co-stars, she was also going through a tumultuous divorce. Noella also made history as the first Black and openly bisexual woman to star on RHOC.
Viewers watched as Noella went through every emotion as her marriage to high-powered personal injury attorney, “Sweet James” Bergener, went from amazing to atrocious in a matter of a few episodes. The duo is now finally officially divorced.
Now Noella is going through another ordeal as she has to fight a financial legal battle with her former attorneys, who claim she owes $450K from her first divorce.
Noella Bergener claims her ex-husband was responsible for her legal fees
According to Radar, Noella is fighting a credit collection company over a judgment related to the claims. She is said to owe the money for services she received from the law firm Freid and Goldsman, who represented Noella in a divorce and paternity battle with her first husband in 2014.
The legal fight with her first ex-husband, whose identity is mostly unknown, lasted years and was quite costly. However, Noella reportedly believes that her ex-husband was responsible for paying her legal fees due to their divorce settlement, and Noella called the suit against her “unfounded.”
After the divorce battle was settled, Noella reportedly owed the law firm $293K. They have reportedly since demanded that entire balance, plus $116K in interest and $5K in other fees.
The collection agency claimed they served Noella at her home in Orange County, but she said that didn’t happen and that she was not even aware of an open lawsuit. The agency reportedly claims that they served a woman who was white and 5’11”, but she says that does not match a description of anyone in her home.
Noella also claimed that in the middle of the messy separation with James, her mail was forwarded to James’ office or another property, which would mean she could not have received notice of a pending legal issue. She is demanding this current collection attempt be thrown out and the courts allow her the proper time to respond to the original complaint.
Noella is working towards moving on after her divorce from James Bergener
Noella is officially divorced from her second husband, James, and is recently single after a split from boyfriend, Bobby Schubenski. Noella announced on the Season 16 reunion that she was in a new relationship with Bobby, and they were working together on an adult toy company called Playland.
After the couple split, Noella announced a new partnership with an online dating app, Seeking, previously known as Seeking Arrangement, where she met her former husband.
It is also being reported that Noella was demoted from a main Housewife to a “friend” for Season 17 of RHOC, although this has not been confirmed.
The Real Housewives of Orange County is currently on hiatus on Bravo.