(TMZ) -- Paris Hilton is ass deep, in the middle of a legal battle over an iconic pic of her wearing Juicy Couture.
A photographer named Jason Altaan owns the famous pic, which has become a big merchandising device for the apparel ... designer loungewear to be specific.
Altaan gripes in his suit Juicy posted the pic on its Instagram page without his permission and without compensation.
He wants all profits emanating from the photo.
That said, one thing's undeniable ... she looks awfully hot.
Photo: Getty Images