RHOA Revealed: What Really Went Down Between Kelli Ferrell and Mark Ferrell

Well, this got messy fast. 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' newcomer Kelli Ferrell and her ex-husband, Mark Ferrell, are back in court, and it is not just about money or time with the kids. We are talking unpaid support, a fight over whether their children can appear on camera, and dueling filings that read like they were written for TV.

Where things stand right now

Mark filed a new case on December 9, 2025, asking a judge to change both child support and custody. In his filing, he says the divorce decree (finalized in 2024) gives him visitation every other weekend, but he has not seen the kids at all since the divorce. His attorney claims Kelli blocked every visit for the entire year after the decree.

He is also trying to lower his child support. Mark argues the court previously pegged his income at $19,847 a month and set his support at $3,991 a month, but he says that number was too high because Kelli was awarded their restaurant, Nana's Chicken and Waffles. His position now: with the business gone, he has $0 income and needs relief. On top of that, his legal team wants more visitation for him and for the court to rein in Kelli's decision-making, citing what they call a 'history and practice of alienation.'

Kelli fires back

Kelli says none of that is true. Through a rep, she called Mark's claims surprising and inaccurate, insisting she has never prevented visits and that she has stuck to the court orders while putting the kids first. She also says Mark has not paid child support since the divorce, and that her priority has been keeping herself and the children safe.

"At no point has she prevented him from seeing their children, and she has consistently complied with court orders while prioritizing their best interests."

And there is another wrinkle: Kelli actually filed her own petition on October 2, 2025, accusing Mark of getting in the way of their kids appearing on 'RHOA.' She says he objected to their involvement, pushed the network to seek a judge's clarification, and even threatened litigation against the network. Kelli says she gave consent for the kids to film because their participation matters to her storyline, and she wants the court to greenlight filming moving forward. That is a very specific production fight to spill into a family-court docket.

How we got here

Kelli and Mark married in 2011, filed for divorce in 2022, and officially split in 2024. They share three children: Chance, Chasiti, and Chelsi. The breakup came with heavy accusations: cheating, theft, and money trouble. On 'RHOA' season 16, Kelli told castmate Brit Eady that it was infidelity and that Mark took almost $500,000 from the company. Their restaurant, Nana's Chicken and Waffles, turned into the center of the fallout. Kelli has said the marriage was toxic, that she left their home for safety, and that there was a physical altercation. She has even said she sometimes slept in a closet to feel safe.

What the divorce decided

Per the judgment, Kelli and Mark share joint legal custody, with Kelli as the primary physical custodian. The court also noted that the restaurant left them with various debts, including multiple business loans guaranteed to outside creditors. Kelli received all household furniture and jewelry in the split.

Money has stayed a problem. After Mark missed support payments, a judge in August granted Kelli's request to have him arrested until he pays $14,889.

Quick timeline

• 2011: Kelli and Mark get married.
• 2022: They file for divorce.
• 2024: Divorce is finalized; order gives Mark every-other-weekend visitation.
• Since 2024: Mark says he has not seen the kids at all; Kelli says she has followed the orders and he has not paid support.
• August: Judge OKs Kelli's request to have Mark arrested until he pays $14,889 in arrears.
• October 2, 2025: Kelli files a petition over the kids' 'RHOA' filming, saying Mark interfered and threatened legal action against the network.
• December 9, 2025: Mark files to modify custody and support, arguing zero income after losing the restaurant and asking for more visitation while curbing Kelli's decision-making.

The bottom line

This is not just a typical post-divorce fight. You have a support battle, a total breakdown over visitation, and the rare situation of a parent dragging a reality TV production question into court. Expect more hearings, more filings, and probably more on-camera fallout when 'RHOA' continues. If you want to catch up, 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' is streaming on Peacock in the US.