Per TMZ... 

"Basketball Wives" star Nia Crooks has been charged with misdemeanor battery for pimp slappin' the taste out of Jennifer Williams' mouth back in January ... TMZ has learned. A rep for the Broward County State's Attorney's Office tells us ... officials decided to file the charge on April 10 ... after Williams filed a criminal complaint. If convicted, Nia faces up to a year in the slammer. During the incident, which aired on last week's episode of "Basketball Wives" -- Nia can be heard threatening to slap Jennifer ... to which Jennifer replied, "I wish you would." Her wish was granted. 4:39 PM PST -- Nia's lawyer Marc David Seitles tells TMZ ...  "We will vigorously defend Nia against these charges. The women on the show executed contracts expressly accepting the risk that a physical altercation could occur."The lawyer adds, "Given that Jennifer herself has previously instigated fights on the show, to cry foul now is absurd and a desperate attempt for publicity and money. We will fight until Nia is vindicated."  


UPDATE!!!!!
Jennifer Williams' "face-slap" lawsuit is the giant shovel digging her reality TV grave ... TMZ has learned ... 'cause we're told "Basketball Wives" producers are PISSED!Sources close to production tell TMZ ... Williams was already on thin ice with the show -- even before her slaptastic showdown with Nia Crooks -- but now that she has filed a lawsuit ... that ice is breaking FAST. We're told producers think the suit is BS ... claiming Jennifer never had a problem with fighting before and insist this is a desperate publicity stunt to keep her storyline interesting -- securing her a place in season 5. But a source tells us the stunt is not working, adding, "Filing broad lawsuits when you are as much to blame for the drama, is not the way to get your contract extended." Ouch ... now that's gotta sting.