Dolly Parton's Estate Granted Restraining Order Against Nephew

Dolly Parton's estate has been granted a temporary restraining order against her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who was previously her head of security.

The order was filed by She's Alive, LLC, an organization managing Parton's estate and run by her longtime manager Danny Nozell. Nozell accused Seaver of orchestrating an obscene, deliberate and escalating campaign of threats to acquire funds from Parton's estate, estimated by Forbes to be $450 million in 2025. Seaver denied the allegations, calling the filing a publicity stunt.

The court filings allege Seaver demanded money and threatened to ruin Parton's brand partnerships. Seaver, who described himself as a career soldier and military contractor and a killer, allegedly said he would become the hand of retribution for their entire family. Freida Parton, Dolly Parton's younger sister and a country singer, defended Seaver on social media, denying any feud within the family and stating, "No one among the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly’s estate."

Seaver was fired on September 16, and the restraining order was granted on September 22. A further hearing is scheduled for October 7. Seaver and his company have been ordered to stay 1,000 feet away from She's Alive properties and not to contact its employees or business partners.