AceShowbiz -

Bindi Irwin is caught in a legal situation after an L.A. County judge rejected her "Dancing with the Stars" contract. Judge Maren Nelson wants proof that Bindi's famous father Steve Irwin is really dead after her mother Terri signed a minor's contract stating she gives up all rights to any money her daughter will make on the show.

The judge rejected the contract for the 17-year-old girl on Tuesday, November 3, saying that without proper evidence her father has "irrevocably and perpetually" relinquished all claim to her earnings, "the court is unable to find that it is in the best interest of the minor to be bound by the terms of the contract."

While the ruling surprised many fans as Steve's death made international headlines back in 2006, a court source told New York Daily News that the death was beside the point. "All the paperwork has to be sufficient," the source said. "Legally you have to have paperwork associated with the filing."

A spokesperson for BBC Worldwide Productions hoped to resolve Bindi's problem. "We are aware of the situation, and our legal team is in contact with the court to work it out," the rep said.

According to TMZ, Bindi has earned an estimated $230,000 on "DWTS" so far. She will reportedly take home $50,000 per week for the final two weeks if she makes it to the end.