Judge Dismisses Dolly Parton's Estate Lawsuit Against Late Legend's Nephew Bryan Seaver

A Tennessee judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by late legend Dolly Parton 's estate on Monday (November 9).

She's Alive, LLC (SAL), a business entity laid out by Parton to protect her legacy, filed the lawsuit against Parton's nephew, Bryan Seaver, on September 22. The estate, which is operated by her longtime manager, Danny Nozell, alleged that Seaver demanded payment and threatened the estate, which reportedly prompted some employees to resign. Seaver served as Parton's head of security for about two decades. He was terminated from that role in September, days before She's Alive filed the lawsuit and temporary retraining order against him (Seaver's sister, Rebecca Seaver, was reportedly fired from her role as director of Parton's Nashville museum last month).

Nozell dropped the suit against Seaver on Thursday (November 5), apparently reaching an agreement with Seaver. Parton's estate dropped the lawsuit without prejudice, which leaves the possibility of refiling in the future. Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles signed the order to dismiss the suit on Monday, according to a report by the Associated Press.

"Mr. Seaver cares deeply about his Aunt Dolly, her music, her family, and the incredible legacy she left behind," Seaver's attorney, Nick Leonardo, previously said in a statement to TMZ and other news outlets. "He has made a career out of protecting his aunt while she was alive and remains committed to Dolly and his entire family. Mr. Seaver is grateful to put this misunderstanding behind him so that the entire family can continue to grieve peacefully and ensure that the bright light of Dolly's legacy remains entirely untouched."

Seaver previously told ABC News that he "never threatened anyone," and said "the restraining order is spurious and simply a publicity stunt." Leonardo said in a previous statement that "this ordeal has taken a toll on his [Seaver's] family. …While the family was grieving, the business manager went to court and the media with a surprising and incomplete story. Seeing text messages that are misleading and taken out of context has been very hurtful to our client and his family," he said, in part. "While Mr. Seaver and his family work through this, they trust that the bright light of Dolly's legacy remains untouched, and they are eager to amicably and expeditiously resolve this matter."

Per Parton's request, Seaver appeared in a video with a message from the family announcing his aunt's passing on August 25. Parton "died peacefully" in Nashville, Tennessee, according to an official announcement issued at the time. She was 80. Representatives for the "I Will Always Love You" artist told PEOPLE in a statement hours later, "after bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones." Parton was laid to rest beside husband Carl Dean, who died in March 2025. He was 82.