Vernita Lee (a Milwaukee resident) is Oprah Winfrey's mother. Oprah and her mother lived in Milwaukee during part of Oprah’s childhood.

According to an article released in Sept 3, 2008, Vernita is being sued by a high-end Brookfield fashion store for owning a past due bill of more than $150,000. The civil complaint (obtained by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) states that Vernita Lee has had an open-ended charge account with Valentina Inc. since January 2004.

Vernita has hired three attorneys to prove she doesn't owe the bill, according to the lawsuit filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court.

Valentina's attorney Joseph Niebler, Sr., said that at some point Lee stopped making the monthly payments. The store is asking for full payment plus interest, the complaint says.

He added that the store had tried to resolve the bill before filing the lawsuit and continues to pursue a resolution out of court.

Niebler said the store tried to resolve the bill before filing the lawsuit and continues to pursue a resolution out of court.

As of July 1, she has racked up a bill of $155,547.31 in purchases and interest, according to the complaint. (Lee was required to make a minimum monthly payment of $2,000 to the store, the paper reports.)

Two Chicago-based attorneys, Steve Gistenson and Michelle Schindler, have been brought into the case to assist Milwaukee-based attorney Nathan Fishbach in defending Lee.