Bindi Irwin – daughter of legendary crocodile hunter Steve Irwin and recent Dancing with the Stars darling – is caught up in one of the most ridiculous contract disputes imaginable.

According to TMZ, an L.A. Superior Court judge has rejected Irwin's contract with the dance competition show because he needs proof that her father is deceased. Because Irwin is 17, the law requires that her parents sign a form giving up all rights to Bindi's earnings from participating in the show. Her mother has signed the form, but her father, of course, cannot.

It's currently unclear if the judge slept through the entirety of 2006 – the year in which Steve Irwin was fatally wounded by a stingray while snorkeling near Port Douglass, Queensland – or simply wants to see a death certificate.

Once this mess is cleared up, Bindi will be eligible to receive over $230,000 for taking part in the competition. She's become a fan favorite over the past nine weeks, and it's tough to think she has to deal with such a morbid technicality.

More From KUSJ-FM