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Dolly Partonhis nephew, Bryan Searis pushing back against the legal case over his late mother’s estate, with his lawyers saying the dispute has put extra pressure on a grieving family.
Seaver’s lawyers, Dominic J. Leonardo and James L. Collier, defended their client after allegations related to Dolly Parton’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, and She’s Alive, LLC, the company that manages the business interests of the country icon.
The lawyers say that Seaver never asked for the attention and they argue that the private messages used against him were presented without full context.
Their response adds a new chapter to a dispute that has included Seaver’s firing, a temporary restraining order and a delayed court hearing.
Dolly Parton’s nephew says legal battle has hurt his family
Bryan Seaver’s attorneys said Page Six that he was always a private person before Dolly Parton confided in announcing her death.
“Mr. Seaver has always been a private person, but he was chosen by his aunt, with the permission of his family, to announce Dolly’s death,” they said.
The attorneys said Seaver “prefers to remain a private person,” adding that the ordeal “has taken a toll on his family.”
Their statement also accused Parton’s business manager of taking the dispute to court and the media while the family mourned.
According to the lawyers, the release of the private communications has been painful because they believe the exchanges are “false and taken out of context.”
Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80 after a battle with cancer. Seaver was the person she chose to announce her death in a pre-recorded video.
Bryan Seaver’s lawyers say his ‘side of the story’ is coming
The latest statement also challenges the way the court proceedings have proceeded.
Seaver’s legal team noted that the court first granted the restraining order ex parte, meaning they issued it before hearing his answer.
They emphasized that Seaver’s “side of the story” is still forthcoming and said the family hopes to resolve the dispute “amicably and quickly” without damaging Parton’s legacy.
Seaver has previously denied threatening anyone. As The Blast reported, he characterized some communications as private “rage talk” that was misinterpreted.
He also disputed one reference to himself as a “killer,” claiming that Parton jokingly called him “her killer” and “boy ninja” because of his security role.
Dolly Parton’s Estate Obtained a Temporary Restraining Order
The charges against Seaver remain serious. She’s Alive, LLC sought court protection after being accused of making threats, interfering with business relationships and sending threatening statements along with demands for payment.
Rolling Stone that Nashville Chancellor I’Ashea L. Myles issued a temporary restraining order ordering Seaver to stay at least 1,000 feet away from estate employees and certain business associates, stay off private estate property and avoid disruptive or harassing behavior.
The controversy came after Seaver was fired as security chief, a position he held for more than two decades after taking over from his father.
Court filings also included messages in which Seaver allegedly mentioned his background in military contracts, weapons and his ability to retaliate against people he believed had betrayed the family.
Seaver has denied that the messages were real threats.
More From The Blast
The Court Fight took another strange turn before the October hearing
The case became more unusual when She’s Alive accused Bryan Seaver of trying to avoid legal papers.
according to PEOPLEthe company said attempts to serve him failed and barbed wire, caution tape and “No Trespassing” signs appeared around his Tennessee home.
Seaver asked for more time before a scheduled hearing, saying it was difficult for him to find an attorney because of potential conflicts with local attorneys.
The judge granted the adjournment, moving the hearing to October 20.
The company opposed his request and questioned whether he had really been trying to get representation.
Seaver has denied the allegations and previously called the restraining order attempt a publicity stunt.
Dolly Parton’s family are denying claims of internal strife
Despite the court battle, Dolly Parton’s family has pushed back against suggestions that her relatives are fighting among themselves over her estate.
Her sister Freida Parton said publicly, “there is no conflict in our family,” saying that no one in the Parton/Owens family was fighting over the singer’s estate.
“We all love Bryan, just like we all love each other,” she wrote.
Freida’s clarification is meaningful because Seaver’s involvement with the business entity manages Dolly Parton’s professional interests, rather than an openly declared fight among the late singer’s relatives.
As previously reported by The Blast, Seaver said that Parton’s family and the team in which she left her legacy will work to ensure that her spirit lives on.
Now, his lawyers are bringing in the same legacy, saying the family wants the “bright light of Dolly’s legacy” to remain untouched while the dispute is resolved.
