Dr. Phil sues National Enquirer over spousal abuse articles

(AP) — "Dr. Phil" McGraw and The National Enquirer are lining up for a courtroom brawl after the television talk show host and his wife filed a $250 million lawsuit against the supermarket tabloid and its sister publications, charging that they falsely accused him of being an abusive husband and a hypocrite who doesn't practice what he preaches.

According to the suit, the publications damaged McGraw's reputation by falsely accusing the TV psychologist of physically and verbally abusing his wife, Robin.

"Dr. and Mrs. McGraw, after enduring years of the National Enquirer, Star and other American Media Inc. publications knowingly and recklessly printing outrageous lies about them, their marriage, their integrity and their character, have finally concluded that enough is enough and too much is too much," their attorney, Lin Wood, said in a statement.

According to the lawsuit, since 2003 the Enquirer and its sister publications have published more than 85 articles about the McGraws, an average of one every two months, accusing them of felonies, hypocrisy and professional misconduct.