A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has sided with "Empire" star Terrence Howard in tossing out a spousal support agreement he vigorously contends he signed under duress.

TMZ reports the judge found ex-wife Michelle Ghent blackmailed Howard into signing the support payment agreement that legally granted her the right to monthly payments of $5,800. While Howard argued the payments shouldn't be that high given the short time they were husband and wife, Ghent was seeking to have them increased based on her ex's recent success with his headlining "Empire" role as Lucious Lyon.

Though legally finding in Howard's favor, the judge nonetheless admonished him for the domestic abuse attacks Ghent claimed happened on a regular basis.

"Terrence is a bully, but that doesn't mean he can't be bullied," said the judge.

The ruling essentially puts the couple back at square one in their ongoing battle and means the two will have to return to family court and hammer out a new agreement. It's even conceivable that Ghent may have to repay money to Howard given the now overpayments she received.

During testimony over the course of the proceedings, Howard admitted that he and his then wife regularly smoked marijuana and did cocaine and ecstasy together. Adding that they also watched plenty of porn together, Howard told the court that he is now a changed man who "refuses" to get high.

In "Empire," Howard stars as the ruthless patriarch of a family owned record label intent on doing whatever he deems necessary to remain in control. Taraji P. Henson costars as Cookie Lyon.

The cast also includes Jussie Smollett as Jamal Lyon, Bryshere Y. Gray as Hakeem Lyon, Trai Byers as Andre Lyon, Kaitlyn Doubleday as Rhonda Lyon and Grace Gealey as Anika Calhoun.