The woman behind the lawsuit is Lenette Beall ... who was arrested for DUI by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department on April 10, 2010.

According to the suit, Beall claims an "American Jail" camera crew recorded footage while she was being booked and processed at a Clark County detention center. Beall claims the footage was then edited to portray her in a negative light ... "to embarrass and incriminate [her]."

Here's the rub ... Beall claims she was "extremely intoxicated" at the time ... and does not recall signing a release or waiver which would've given producers or LVMPD permission to use her image.

But even if she DID sign a waiver in her drunken state, Beall says the waiver is invalid because she was "not mentally competent" to enter into an agreement at the time.

Beall says she was labeled as "Naughty Girl" on the show ... and says she's been the subject of "an avalanche of personal ridicule, scorn and unwanted recognition" ever since it aired.

In her suit, Beall also says the Sheriff allowed producers to shoot because the production company, Langley Productions, donated $10,000 to his re-election campaign in 2009.

Beall is suing TBS (which owns TruTV) ... as well as Langley, the LVMPD and Sheriff Douglas Gillespie. She's demanding more than $10,000 in damages.