Dolly Parton's estate dropped its lawsuit against the country music icon's nephew, Bryan Seaver, on Thursday, Nov. 5, according to a notice filed in a Nashville court.
She's Alive LLC, the company run by Parton's longtime manager, Danny Nozell, to oversee her estate, voluntarily dismissed the suit, which accused Seaver of leading a "campaign of threats" to profit from his aunt's estate. The case was dropped without prejudice, meaning the estate could refile if it chooses. The brief filing gave no reason for the withdrawal, and a court filing from a day earlier said the two sides had reached an agreement, without giving details.
Parton died on Aug. 25 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, and Nozell has overseen the administration of her estate since. On Sept. 16, Seaver, who served as his aunt's head of security for over 20 years, was notified that he and his security company were terminated. Days later, on Sept. 22, the estate sued and was granted a temporary restraining order against him.
The suit alleged Seaver threatened to smear Parton's legacy and made threats "of real-world violence" against several employees, and that his "terrorizing conduct" left remaining employees afraid to come to the office. Seaver denied the allegations, saying in a Sept. 23 statement that the messages were private conversations between two grieving friends taken out of context, and calling the order a publicity stunt.
Seaver's lawyers had asked the court to deny an injunction and dissolve the restraining order, arguing its terms interfered with his ability to act as a beneficiary of Parton's estate. A hearing in the case had been scheduled for Tuesday after being pushed several times. Parton's sisters Freida and Stella Parton have publicly stood by their nephew, with Freida saying in September that there is "no feud within our family."
