Former Disney Star Sues Over Bristol Palin Reality Show

In the suit, filed today in federal court in L.A., the Massey brothers claim they met Bristol on "Dancing with the Stars" ... and developed the idea for a show in which the brothers help Palin meet the challenges of child rearing while adjusting to life in L.A.

In fact, the Masseys claim they had even picked out a name for the show -- "Helping Hands."

But according to the suit, a producer named David McKenzie hijacked the project, cut the Masseys out of the show and repackaged the program as "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp" for Lifetime.

The Masseys are demanding monetary compensation -- claiming they were not properly compensated or credited for creating the show.