Blake Shelton Sues In Touch Over Rehab Story

Blake Shelton sued the tabloid magazine In Touch Weekly on
Monday over a cover story claiming heavy drinking by the country music star
contributed to his divorce from Miranda Lambert and that he was headed to
rehab.

Shelton’s defamation lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County
Superior Court seeks more than $1 million in damages over the story that his
lawyers say is false.

The lawsuit against In Touch publisher, Bauer Publishing
Co., contends the tabloid has repeatedly published false information about the
singer and his breakup with Lambert.

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“Blake Shelton has had enough,” the lawsuit
begins before refuting claims made in the article and laying out the
Grammy-nominated singer’s busy schedule. “Mr. Shelton is not in rehab and
has no plans to go to rehab.”

An email sent to publicists for In Touch was not
immediately returned.

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The lawsuit points out that Shelton continues to work as a
judge on NBC’s “The Voice” and on an upcoming greatest hits album.

In Touch published the story in late September that alleged
Shelton was drinking heavily and that his actions contributed to the end of his
marriage to Lambert. It previously published a story claiming Shelton had
cheated on Lambert and that contributed to their divorce.

The rehab cover story also proclaimed that Shelton had hit
“rock bottom.”

“To be clear: Mr. Shelton has not hit rock
bottom,” the lawsuit states. It accuses In Touch of publishing the story
without reaching out to the singer’s lawyers or other representatives.

The lawsuit states Shelton, 39, has sought a retraction of
the story but received no response.

In addition to monetary damages, Shelton is seeking an
injunction that would prevent In Touch from repeating allegations in the
disputed story.

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