Dolly Parton Estate Hearing Delayed So Nephew Can Lawyer Up After Allegedly Making Violent Threats

A closely watched hearing in the legal battle between Dolly Parton’s estate and the late singer’s nephew has been pushed back nearly two weeks.

The estate had been set to appear for a Nashville Chancery Court showdown this Friday (Oct. 9) against Bryan Seaver, who is accused of trying to extort money with violent threats since the beloved singer died in August. But Seaver recently sought a delay, saying he had not yet been able to hire a lawyer and that he lacks “any legal knowledge or skills to proceed in this matter without retained counsel.”

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Chancellor I’Ashea L. Myles granted Seaver’s request on Tuesday (Oct. 6), rescheduling the hearing for Oct. 20. At this proceeding, the judge will decide whether to enter an injunction that would bar Seaver from interfering with the Parton estate or contacting staffers throughout the entirety of the litigation.

Seaver and reps for the Parton estate did not immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday.

She’s Alive LLC, the Parton estate holding company run by her longtime manager Danny Nozell, sued Seaver less than a month after the beloved singer’s Aug. 25 death. The Sept. 22 lawsuit alleged that Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security and who announced her passing in an Instagram video, had been trying to extort money since her death by sending violent threats invoking his military background.

Seaver allegedly sent emails and texts with rhetoric like, “I’m a killer” and “All I do is warfare. Everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.” He also allegedly threatened to harm the estate’s business interests, suggesting he would “set up a podcast ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships.”

Seaver denies threatening anyone and told the New York Times that his words had been taken “out of context.” On Sept. 23, Chancellor Myles entered a two-week temporary restraining order requiring Seaver to leave Parton’s businesses alone and stay at least 1,000 feet from all staffers until a proper hearing could be held.

“The court finds, for purposes of a temporary restraining order, that conduct demonstrated by the defendants constitutes evidence of a present and continuing disruption and threat to [She’s Alive’s] operations and personnel,” wrote the judge. “The communications described above concern future conduct and threatened harmful retaliation which has posed a current irreparable threat to the plaintiff.”

The temporary restraining order was initially set to expire the day of the injunction hearing on Oct. 9. It will now remain in place until the new proceeding date on Oct. 20. Seaver, once he retains a lawyer, is due to file a written response by Oct. 13.

The Parton estate had urged Chancellor Myles not to delay the hearing, pointing out in a Monday (Oct. 5) filing that Seaver “attempted to evade” being served with court papers by, among other things, stringing barbed wire across the front door of his Tennessee home. “This court should not reward that behavior,” wrote the estate’s lawyers from Loeb & Loeb.