Heimerdinger's estranged wife, Catherine Elizabeth "Beth" Heimerdinger — with whom he is involved in a divorce case — is also being sued for allegedly helping Collins set up a defamatory Web site that outlines some of Heimerdinger's past legal history, which includes a conviction for a class B misdemeanor of criminal mischief.

Police say Heimerdinger broke his estranged wife's door by kicking it in on Jan. 9, 2006.

The most recent lawsuit alleges intentional interference with contractual relations, false light and invasion of privacy as well as conspiracy.

Collins' response, however, alleges that Heimerdinger's claims are barred as a result of the fault and wrongful conduct attributable to him, according to the document.

The lawsuit isn't the first Heimerdinger has filed against Collins. In 2006 there was a legal tangle in 3rd District Court over copyright issues.

"Because the state court can't or won't deal with the copyright issue, that's why we went to federal court," Thayer said of their October 2007 action. "In our representation of Chris ... we realized there were other claims we thought applicable and we decided to bring them against other parties and Mr. Collins."

As a result they brought the new lawsuit to 4th District and expanded it to include Abbott and Heimerdinger's estranged wife.

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