For Mother's Day: 5 Legal Lessons From MTV's 'Teen Mom' Series

By Daniel Taylor, Esq. on May 09, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

How better to celebrate Mother's Day than by recognizing those institutions of American motherhood that are MTV's "Teen Mom" and its same-yet-different spin-offs "Teen Mom 2" and "Teen Mom 3"?

Among the valuable life lessons taught by the shows and their assortment of real-life teen mom stars, there have certainly been several that have involved the law.

Here are our Top 5:

  1. Don't Drink and Drive. That one seems pretty basic, right? But "Teen Mom" Farrah Abraham had to learn this the hard way, when she pleaded guilty to DUI and was sentenced to six months probation along with having to install an ignition interlock device in her car.
  2. You Can Find a Great Divorce Attorney Online. When "Teen Mom 2" star Leah Messer decided to divorce her husband, she found a divorce lawyer through a quick Internet search -- and just happened to choose an attorney who uses FindLaw for her online marketing efforts. Pro tip: FindLaw's online Divorce Lawyer Directory is an easy, quick and free way to find an attorney who can handle your case.
  3. Don't Stalk the "Stalker." Jenelle Evans, Messer's co-star on "Teen Mom 2," filed cyberstalking charges against her ex-boss James Duffy, only to get arrested a couple months later for cyberstalking Duffy herself. Whoops.
  4. If They Try to Make You Go to Rehab, Say "Yes, Yes, Yes." Amber Portwood from "Teen Mom" was sentenced to five years in prison after giving up on a court-ordered rehab program. She'd been allowed to enter rehab after being convicted of possessing prescription drugs without a prescription, but apparently decided prison was the easier route.
  5. ... But If You Do Go to Prison, Be Good: Portwood only served about a year and a half of her five-year sentence, likely securing her early release through good behavior while behind bars. Crime doesn't pay, but being nice certainly does.

Everyone has bad days, even moms -- but let's hope this Sunday isn't one of them. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, teen or otherwise.

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