Don’t be cruel! Bobby Brown filed a lawsuit against ex-wife Whitney Houston to change the terms of custody of their teen daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

In court documents filed in Orange County yesterday, Brown explains that he was just too screwed up after the breakup to properly handle a custody battle. “After Whitney and I separated, I had nowhere to go and very little money to live on. I was, for all intents and purposes, homeless.” That’s why he failed to respond to Whitney’s petition for custody in time, and why she was ultimately deemed the primary parent.

In Brown’s court filings yesterday, he begged the courts to reconsider, saying that, “I believe I have a wonderful relationship with my daughter Bobbi Kris — a relationship that I would like to see strengthen and grow.” That’s his prerogative!