Jailed "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice has filed a malpractice suit against her former bankruptcy attorney, alleging that he "is the reason" she is now incarcerated.

The 43-year-old Giudice is currently serving out the remainder of her 15 month sentence on fraud related charges at the Danbury Correctional Facility. With time off for good behavior, the earliest she could be released would be sometime around Christmas.

According to ET, earlier this month malpractice attorney Carlos Cuevas filed suit in Morris County, New Jersey charging bankruptcy attorney James Kridel with legal malpractice, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.

In the complaint, Cuevas indicates he filed the suit on his client's behalf "to vindicate [her] legal rights, her good name and reputation."

People magazine also reports Giudice is seeking to recover an unspecified amount of money from Kridel, charging that she has suffered huge financial damages stemming from his negligence.

Kridel represented Giudice in the 2009 proceedings that also ended with husband Joe being sentenced to 41 months in prison on similar charges. He is slated to begin serving his sentence once his wife has been released.

"She went to jail because she committed crimes, which were not participated in by me," Kridel said of Teresa Guidice. "She had about 2.5 hours of testimony before she went to jail where she took full responsibility for the crimes."

Cuevas countered, "The very lawyer retained to prepare accurate bankruptcy documents literally led his client into the cross-hairs of federal prosecutors, and a prison cell ... This is a consequence of Defendant Kridel's several material errors and the concealment of his malpractice."

Ultimately, Cuevas adds Kridel's handling of the case proved so grossly inadequate, Teresa Giudice had no choice but to plead guilty to bankruptcy fraud, subjecting her to the emotional strain of separation from her husband and four young daughters.