The drama isn’t staying on camera. Kelli Ferrell, star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, just dragged her ex-husband back to court over nearly eight thousand dollars in missed child support payments. Court documents obtained show the reality star filed legal action against Mark Ferrell, claiming he failed to pay for January and February of this year. The Kelli Ferrell child support case marks the latest chapter in a bitter post-divorce battle that’s already landed Mark in jail once before.
Kelli has primary custody of their three children. Under their agreement, Mark owes $3,991 per month. The two missed months bring the total to $7,982, money Kelli says the kids desperately need. In her filing, she claims Mark could pay but chose not to, “placing undue hardship on the minor children”.
Kelli and Mark married in 2011. She filed for divorce in 2022. The marriage was officially finished in September 2024. But in the reality TV world, “finalized” rarely means “over.”
This is far from their first courtroom meeting. Last year, Mark actually spent time behind bars after Kelli accused him of owing back support. He got out only after scraping together the unpaid balance and handing it over. At the time, Mark fired back with his own accusations, claiming Kelli was blocking him from seeing their kids. She denied it completely.
Mark’s representative paints a different picture than the one in Kelli’s court filing. According to his team, he’s been in “consistent communication” with Kelli and her lawyers about his financial situation. He’s reportedly provided bank records and pay stubs trying to prove he simply doesn’t have the money right now.
His rep also dropped a surprising number: Mark claims he paid Kelli $61,000 in December 2025 alone. That’s more than a full year’s worth of support in one lump sum. If true, it complicates the narrative of a deadbeat dad who refuses to pay.
The rep added that Mark “has repeatedly expressed that he wants to support his children and remain an active father in their lives.” But there’s a catch. “He has made numerous requests over the past several months to see his children, which have gone unanswered or denied.”
Kelli’s team isn’t backing down. Her representative issued a statement emphasizing the kids come first period.
“Kelli’s top priority is the well-being of her daughters, three of whom she shares with Mark,” the statement read. “Their daughters deserve the support of both parents, emotionally and financially. The responsibility of raising and providing for them should never fall solely on one parent, even after a marriage has been dissolved.”
The statement ended with a clear message about the legal fight ahead: “Kelli looks forward to this matter being addressed thoroughly and resolved in a timely manner.”
Mark hasn’t yet filed a formal response to this latest case. His legal team will likely argue what they’ve been saying all along: he wants to pay, he wants to see his kids, and he’s proving his financial situation with documents.
For Kelli, the math is simple. She says she’s owed nearly eight grand. She says he’s not paying. And she’s using the courts to make him.
