How could Deion Sanders’ son Shilo Sanders use his parents’ divorce to escape his $11.9M legal trouble? Here’s how it could help him avoid the debt(Getty)Shilo Sanders has a fresh angle in his long-running $11.89 million legal case. The son of Deion Sanders will head into a bankruptcy trial on Aug. 31, where a judge will decide whether the massive judgment can be wiped out. Now, newly released court records show that Shilo’s attorney plans to bring his parents’ divorce and his relationship with his mother into the case.The argument comes from a July 14 hearing that Judge Michael Romero held privately because some evidence involved Shilo’s teenage years. On Aug. 12, Romero ordered redacted versions of the records released after USA TODAY challenged the secrecy.How Deion Sanders’ family situation could shape Shilo Sanders’ $11.9M legal caseShilo’s parents, Deion Sanders and Pilar Sanders, finalized their divorce in 2013, two years before the Sept. 2015 incident involving high school security guard John Darjean. Shilo was 15 at the time, and his attorney Victor Vital now wants that family situation in front of the bankruptcy judge.As per ES, during the July 14 hearing, Vital explained his planned argument. He said Shilo did not want to surrender his cellphone because he believed his mother was his “only lifeline” and feared losing contact with her. Vital added, “He’s only 15 years old, so that’s the argument.”That detail connects directly to Shilo’s version of the 2015 confrontation. He has maintained that he acted in self-defense after the dispute over his phone. Darjean, however, accused Shilo of assaulting him and suffering serious, permanent injuries as a result.Darjean’s lawyer, Ori Raphael, plans to push a very different version of events. During the same July 14 hearing, Raphael said he wanted to question Shilo about his relationship with Deion Sanders and whether his feelings toward his father influenced what happened that day. He specifically referenced a call from Deion to Darjean about taking Shilo’s phone.Judge Romero indicated that such questions could come into play if they directly relate to the Sept. 2015 incident. That keeps the focus on what happened that day rather than allowing the trial to become a broad examination of the Sanders family.The family connection also has a legal limit. Deion and Pilar were originally named in Darjean’s 2016 lawsuit, but the court dismissed both parents from the case in 2019. Shilo then remained the sole defendant.Why Shilo Sanders’ August 31 bankruptcy trial carries $11.89M stakes?The road to the upcoming trial began with the 2022 civil case. Shilo did not appear when the case went to trial in March, and the Dallas County court entered a default judgment against him. Darjean received roughly $11.89 million.Shilo later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023 as Darjean pursued collection of the judgment. But bankruptcy does not automatically erase a debt tied to a willful and malicious injury. That is the central legal question heading into August 31.Shilo’s side argues that the 2015 incident involved self-defense. Darjean’s side argues that Shilo intentionally caused the injuries. The bankruptcy judge must decide which position fits the evidence before deciding whether the $11.89 million judgment can disappear through bankruptcy.The public will also get a closer look at the proceedings. On August 12, Judge Romero rejected USA TODAY’s effort to keep the entire August 31 trial closed. He can still restrict access to specific juvenile records if necessary, but the trial itself will remain generally open.For Shilo Sanders, the divorce angle therefore does not erase an $11.89 million debt on its own. His attorney hopes the family circumstances will help explain Shilo’s state of mind during the 2015 confrontation. If that argument supports his self-defense position, it could give him a path toward discharging the judgment. If the judge finds a willful and malicious injury, the debt could stay with him.