Dethroned Miss North Carolina USA prepares legal fight over crown

Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse is escalating her dispute with pageant officials after being stripped of her 2026 title just weeks before she was expected to represent the state at the Miss USA competition. Boltinhouse has retained attorney Patrick Mincey, whose Wilmington, North Carolina, law firm says it is investigating the circumstances surrounding her removal and preparing for anticipated legal action. The dispute comes after the Miss USA Organization and the state pageant leadership said her reign ended following a review of recently surfaced information and conduct . . .