In February 2009, it was reported on [[The Smoking Gun]] that Howard had beenHowardwas arrested in 2001 for a variety of charges related to a violent attack on his estranged first wife, including simple [[assault]], [[terroristic threat]]s, harassment, and [[stalking]]. According to police reports, he arrived at her house after an argument on the phone, forced entry into her home by breaking in doors, and chased her into the backyard where he punched her in the face twice. The violent attack ended when Howard's brother stepped in. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace.<ref name="The Smoking Gun">{{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0217091howard1.html|title=Terrence Howard's Fists Of Fury|website=[[The Smoking Gun]]|date=February 17, 2009|access-date=December 26, 2023}}</ref>
According to The Smoking Gun, Howard was also arrested for assaulting a Continental Airlines flight attendant after refusing her request to return to his seat because the seat belt sign was on.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/celebrity/hollywood/terrence-howard-00|title=Terrence Howard '00|website=[[The Smoking Gun]]|date=August 1, 2000|access-date=December 26, 2023}}</ref>
On December 5, 2011, a judge granted Howard's then-wife Michelle Ghent a restraining order based on her claims that Howard had caused her physical injuries that required medical attention, once broke her computer in half, repeatedly threatened her, and stalked her by telephone and on the Internet.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/01/06/terrence-howard-s-nasty-divorce-11-disturbing-claims-in-the-court-file.html|title=Terrence Howard's Nasty Divorce: 11 Disturbing Claims in the Court File|work=[[The Daily Beast]]|date=January 9, 2012|last=Fernandez|first=Maria Elena}}</ref>
