No, Kelly Hyland from Dance Moms did not go to jail. She was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment after a November 2013 altercation with dance instructor Abby Lee Miller, but the charges were dismissed on April 2, 2015, after she completed two days of counseling and observed a six-month stay-away order.1Entertainment Tonight. Kelly Hyland Gets Charges Dropped After Slapping Dance Moms Star Abby Lee Miller
What She Was Arrested For
The fight happened on November 22, 2013, during a competition taping. Court filings say the argument escalated after Miller suggested replacing Hyland’s daughters, Brooke and Paige, with other dancers. Miller “repeatedly lunged toward Kelly, gnashing her teeth loudly attempting to bite Kelly,” according to the filings, and Hyland responded by slapping Miller and pulling her hair.2The Hollywood Reporter. Judge Trims Lawsuit Against Dance Moms The confrontation was on camera and aired on the show.
Prosecutors charged Hyland with assault with intent to cause physical injury and second-degree harassment, both misdemeanors under New York law. She first appeared in Bronx Criminal Court on January 21, 2014, when a judge ordered her to stay away from Miller.3Tribune-Review. Dance Moms Star Accused of Assaulting Abby Lee Miller On March 10, 2014, she pleaded not guilty and the case was adjourned.4CBS News. Dance Mom Kelly Hyland Appears in Bronx Court to Face Assault Charge
How the Criminal Case Ended
On April 2, 2015, a Bronx Supreme Court judge ordered the charges dropped. The dismissal was conditional: Hyland had to complete two days of counseling and continue to stay away from Miller for six months, with a compliance hearing set for June 5, 2015.1Entertainment Tonight. Kelly Hyland Gets Charges Dropped After Slapping Dance Moms Star Abby Lee Miller
Her attorney, Steven Goldstein, said Hyland had no prior criminal record or convictions of any kind.1Entertainment Tonight. Kelly Hyland Gets Charges Dropped After Slapping Dance Moms Star Abby Lee Miller She served no jail time and was not placed on probation.
The Civil Lawsuits Running Alongside
The criminal case is often confused with the civil litigation that followed, but neither the civil claims nor the criminal charges resulted in incarceration for Hyland. In February 2014, Hyland and her daughters filed a $5 million civil suit against Miller and Collins Avenue Entertainment, alleging assault, defamation, negligence, breach of contract, and child labor violations. Hyland said she had acted in self-defense and accused producers of stoking conflict for dramatic effect, even claiming they encouraged her to flee the scene to trigger an arrest warrant.5Courthouse News Service. Dance Moms Called Hollywood Horror Story
In November 2014, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ruth Ann Kwan dismissed the defamation and emotional distress claims but allowed Hyland’s assault claim against Miller and the breach of contract and negligence claims against the production company to proceed.2The Hollywood Reporter. Judge Trims Lawsuit Against Dance Moms The remaining case against Collins Avenue was dismissed on December 4, 2015, at the plaintiffs’ request; settlement terms, if any, were not disclosed.6UniCourt. Kelly Hyland et al vs Collins Avenue Entertainment LLC et al
Abby Lee Miller Was the One Who Went to Prison
The Dance Moms cast member who actually served time was Miller, not Hyland, and for a different matter entirely. A federal grand jury indicted Miller on 20 counts in October 2015, charging her with bankruptcy fraud after prosecutors alleged she had concealed roughly $755,000 in income earned during 2012 and 2013 while her dance company was in bankruptcy proceedings. Miller pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, two years of probation, a $40,000 fine, and forfeiture of $120,000 in undisclosed foreign currency.7BBC. Dance Moms Star Abby Lee Miller Sentenced