Tristan Thompson's Texas Paternity Case Dismissed as Legal Battle With Maralee Nichols Continues

Tristan Thompson's attempt to have a paternity case against him heard in Houston appears to be Texas toast.

Maralee Nichols, the woman who claimed in a lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles court that the NBA player, Khloe Kardashian's ex, is the father of her newborn son, has won a major victory in their legal battle. On Thursday, Dec. 16, E! News confirmed that a judge ruled to dismiss a parallel paternity lawsuit that the NBA star submitted against Nichols in a court in Houston. This means the case will be likely handled in California.

Us Weekly cited a source as saying that both Thompson and Nichols were present and gave live testimonies at the virtual hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 15. Nichols and Thompson's attorneys had no immediate comment when reached by E! News and documents for the dismissed Texas case remain sealed.

Nichols, who used to live in Texas, and Thompson, have been battling for months over which state should handle the paternity case and he has demanded genetic testing to prove if he is the baby's father.

A History of Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's Relationship

Both Nichols and Thomson have homes in Los Angeles, where she first submitted her papers in late June, while she was pregnant. Earlier that month, E! News learned that the athlete and Khloe, mother of his second child True Thompson, 3, were no longer in a relationship after reconciling last fall. In early December, a source told E! News that the two broke up in the spring. Also in early December, Nichols gave birth to her baby boy.

This summer, Nichols, 31, stated in a response to the athlete's Houston petition to adjudicate parentage that she planned to give birth in California and argued that he already has two children whose moms live in the state—True and his eldest son Prince Thompson, whose mom is the star's previous ex, Jordan Craig. She also said she believes Thompson "thinks forum shopping in Texas will save him money ultimately in child support."

Thompson stated in a Dec. 16 declaration in response to Nichols' suit in Los Angeles, published by The Daily Mail, "I filed paternity action in Texas because that is the only place where paternity could have taken place."

He added that the two saw each other on a "sporadic basis for consensual casual sex" between December 2020 and March 13, his 30th birthday, during which he and Nichols spent the night in a Houston hotel. He said in his filing, "I am certain that if the child is deemed to be my child that the only date of conception was March 13, 2021, because it was my birthday" and that he and Nichols "did not have sexual intercourse in California" during that timeframe.

In her original filing in Los Angeles, Nichols requested that Thompson pay her "reasonable expenses of pregnancy and birth," adding that he had already covered the cost of two doctor's visits. Her petition to determine parental relationship also states that "the court may make orders for support of the children and issue an earnings assignment without further notice to either party."

Also in her June filing, Nichols requested full legal and physical custody of her son, with Thompson granted visitation rights. In his declaration made in response to her suit, he stated, "In my pleadings, I acknowledged my responsibilities in the event that there is a finding of paternity. However, I have confirmed that if I am found to be the father, that I will not be seeking custody or visitation of the child."

In documents filed in response to Thompson's suit in Texas, Nichols included a copy of what she said was a "text from Tristan" sent to her, which, "Wont [sic] be involved at all. Btw if you think having this baby is gonna make you some money. It's completely wrong. You are aware that I'm retiring after this season. So in terms of support it will be whatever is required monthly for someone who's unemployed. It's texas so it will be only a couple hundred dollars."

He allegedly continued, "So you better off taking this 75k I'm offering cause you won't get nothing near that with having a kid with a father who's unemployed. All you will have is a baby with a father who has zero involvement with the child and a few hundred dollars of child support a month."

In his Dec. 16 declaration for the Los Angeles case, Thompson stated, "[Nichols] has attached to her papers many Snapchat messages which she claims are 'real' and represent 'real' communications between us. However, I strongly contend that these messages have been fabricated by [Nichols]." He did, however, admit that the two used Snapchat as the sole method of communication for the duration of their sexual relationship.

—Reporting by Holly Passalaqua

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