AceShowbiz - Real Housewives of New York City star LuAnn de Lesseps has returned to rehab days after her ex-husband and two children sued the reality star, accusing her of violating her divorce settlement.

The 53 year old checked into an alcohol treatment programme back in December (17) and now she has returned to rehab, according to her friend and co-star Bethenny Frankel.

"This weekend, Luann was surrounded by her girlfriends and decided - with their support - that in light of recent circumstances, it is the healthiest choice for her not to attend Tuesday's reunion taping so that she can continue in her healing process," Bethenny told People. "Luann is now surrounded by a core group of people who truly have her best interests at heart and who are working to make sure she gets the help she needs."

Her first husband, Count Alexandre de Lesseps, and their children, Noel and Victoria de Lesseps, have accused Luann of violating a judgment in her divorce deal, which was finalised in 2009.

Alexandre agreed to hand over the deed of the former couple's marital home in Bridgehampton, New York, to Luann, in return for the creation of a trust for her two children, funded with half the interest in the home.

Alexandre, Victoria and Noel now claim the reality star never created the trust and instead sold the estate in November, 2014 and used the earnings to purchase a home in Sag Harbor, New York.

Her ex-husband and two children are asking a judge to block Luann from either offloading or getting a loan on her Sag Harbor property, and force her to set up a trust fund giving them half the interest in the home.