A Tennessee lawsuit alleging that Miley Cyrus was secretly adopted in 1992 was dismissed with prejudice after Billy Ray Cyrus's legal team denounced the filing as baseless, calling the accusations "false and absurd." The case, brought by Arizona resident Jayme Lee, has nonetheless raised questions about the legal mechanics of minor-parent adoptions in the United States and prompted renewed public scrutiny of the Cyrus family. The filing claims Lee gave birth at age 12 and entered into an informal adoption arrangement with Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus-Purcell-allegations the court rejected.
Lee, now 45, asserted that she was Miley's biological mother and that a "secret" adoption agreement allowed her limited influence over the child's upbringing. According to the complaint, she alleged that she named Miley and expected to serve as a nanny and piano teacher under the pact. The filing sought a supervised DNA test to establish maternity and paternity and asked the court to "revisit the legality of the adoption" depending on the results.
Court documents describe Lee's claims as extending far beyond the question of parentage. She alleged that Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus "wrongfully" assumed parental authority, misrepresented the circumstances of the adoption, and caused her "severe emotional distress." She argued she was a minor without legal capacity to consent, suggesting that "no valid adoption papers were ever lawfully signed because of the fraudulent inducement and duress."
A second complaint filed in June reinforced those assertions, alleging she was "forcibly made to give up Miley" and later "threatened...with police action." Lee maintains that the Cyruses "completely severed the ties" after the birth and that she endured years of distress while seeking visitation, which she claims contributed to memory lapses regarding the circumstances of her alleged maternity.
Billy Ray Cyrus's attorneys pushed back forcefully. In papers submitted on Nov. 20, they argued the allegations were entirely fabricated. The court issued a dismissal with prejudice, preventing Lee from refiling the same claims, and granted Billy Ray the recovery of "reasonable and necessary attorney's fees and costs." The ruling signaled the court found no credible legal basis to move forward with the matter.
Lee's lawsuit also prompted discussion of how U.S. law handles adoptions involving minor parents. Most states require a court-appointed guardian or legal representative to assist a parent under 18 in making decisions about adoption. Judges typically evaluate whether the minor understands the long-term consequences and whether the adoption aligns with the child's best interests. While some states allow minors to consent directly under strict oversight, the process is designed to include counseling, hearings, and legal protections.
The Cyrus family has not publicly commented beyond Billy Ray's court filings, and Miley Cyrus is not named as a party in the dismissed case. The dispute, while resolved legally, has ignited a wave of social media speculation and underscores how high-profile families can become entangled in claims that stretch legal plausibility even as the court record provides a definitive outcome.
