REHAB Addict star Nicole Curtis’ business partner has sued her for thousands after he claimed she “refused” to pay him for work on her HGTV show.
Nicole, 48, is making her return to HGTV after Rehab Addict took a three-year hiatus because of a “devastating” personal setback.
Nicole Curtis on Rehab Addict[/caption]
The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal Nicole was hit with a lawsuit on February 25, 2025 by her former “business partner” involving the filming of the premiere episode, Nicole Goes West, which aired on June 24.
In court documents obtained by The U.S. Sun, Plaintiff Jordan Garland, who provides creative content for audio/visual productions, sued Nicole and Porte Cochere Production, LLC, the company that develops Rehab Addict.
“Defendant Nicole Curtis is a well-known media personality, known primarily for ‘Rehab Addict’ on HGTV,” the complaint read. “Defendant Porte Cochere Production, LLC is Wyoming limited liability company that was established to develop television series with the working title ‘Nicole Goes West.’
Nicole Goes West ended up being the title of the premiere episode of Rehab Addict.
Jordan claimed he was hired by the Defendants to “provide services and content for Defendants’ television series and worked on the project from May, 2023 to July, 2024.”
His duties included shooting scene work, piloting a drone, editing rough cut, fine cut, and sizzle reels, providing graphic arts and other tasks.
Jordan was promised payment for his services, reimbursement of expenses and ownership share in Porte Cochere Productions.
Nicole allegedly signed the Deal Memorandum on December 10, 2023, stating Jordan would receive a minimum of $35,000.
The court documents continued, “Nicole referred to Porte Cochere Production as ‘our company.’ In social media posts, [Nicole] referred to [Jordan] as her ‘partner.’ [Nicole] introduced [Jordan] as her ‘business partner.’ Garland fulfilled his obligations to Defendants. Defendants sold the series in January, 2024.”
Jordan said that after making a “small initial payment,” Defendants allegedly “decided not to pay him for his work or recognize his ownership rights, despite repeated demands.
“Instead, Defendants refused to discuss compensation and threatened [Jordan] with criminal prosecution.”
The court papers continued, “Defendants failed to pay [Jordan] and arrange for him to receive proper credit. [Jordan] has been damaged in an amount greater than $25,000.
“Garland prays for judgment against Defendants, jointly and severally, in an amount greater than $25,000, plus interest from the date payments were due.”
In Nicole’s answer to the complaint filed on May 16, she said Porte Cochere Production, LLC was not established to develop television series with the working title, Nicole Goes West.
She admitted Jordan was hired to perform tasks, but as an independent contractor.
She said that while he was to be compensated for his services and reimbursed for costs, he had no ownership in Porte Cochere Productions.
The court papers claim, “Plaintiff completed some work, but performed unapproved tasks and has not delivered the final product.
“Many payments were made. Plaintiff has been paid $36, 750 and Defendant attempted in good faith to resolve the dispute.
“Plaintiff has withheld Defendant’s video property and has refused further discussions on compensation.”
She said credit cannot be given until final delivery and other conditions are met.
Nicole insisted Jordan “has already been compensated.”
She requested the complaint be dismissed.
The case remains ongoing and there is a hearing in August.
Nicole has been sued by a former employee for $25,000[/caption]
REHAB RETURNS
Rehab Addict’s Season 9 premiered on June 24 after a three-year hiatus.
Nicole opened up about the break, as she told People in an interview that a “setback” rocked her “to the core.”
“I prayed on it and it was just devastating for me,” she said of the incident, which she has chosen to keep private.
“I had to make a decision right there and then like, ‘Okay, we’re going to let this affect us for a very long time, or we’re going to pick it up and go.’”
Nicole bought a Wyoming house on a whim and restores it on the premiere episode, as well as a Detroit property taken over by squatters.
She said the new episodes are an “evolved version” of the show.
The HGTV star explained, “I’m no longer this little poor mommy in Minneapolis driving around with this pickup truck with two dogs and a kid.
“But I’m still me, I’m still Nicole Curtis from Detroit, and I want you to save that building and we’re going to do it.”
Nicole said fans can expect to see “a lot of familiar faces,” including the guys on her crew fans “have loved over the years.”
She continued, “I think that this season has the feel of season one, season two. The houses are smaller. We’ve done a lot of big projects over the years, and my lake house… that was like a bougie series.
“I’m building my million-dollar lake house. I was still saving an old house, but it wasn’t ‘Nicole Curtis on the brink of bankruptcy’ if this one doesn’t sell, like the old school ones.”
PRIVATE LIFE
But Nicole said her family won’t be one of those familiar faces, as she has chosen to shield her sons Ethan with ex Steven Cimini and Harper with former boyfriend Shane Maguire.
“I think there’s one gift we can give our children, and I give them privacy,” she explained.
Nicole was involved in a very public and nasty custody battle with Shane over Harper, who was born in 2015.
They ultimately reached a custody agreement in October 2018.
She said, “Our family went through a lot over the years, and so that’s definitely something that I have done my best to keep my family out of the public eye and focus on the houses.
“That’s always where we wanted that focus to be.”
Nicole took a break from the series because of ‘devastating’ private matter[/caption]
Nicole said this season of the show has ‘evolved’[/caption]
