Dolly Parton's manager drops complaint against nephew

Dolly Parton's longtime manager has dropped a complaint accusing the late singer's nephew of threatening her estate and its employees.

The complaint and its withdrawal

She's Alive, the entity founded to manage and protect Parton's estate, had secured a temporary restraining order against Bryan Seaver and his security company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, in September.

A very brief filing in a Tennessee court on Thursday gave no reason why the complaint was being withdrawn. It said only that a proposed order was being drafted for the judge's approval to dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled again. A court filing from a day earlier said the two sides had reached an agreement, but that also gave no details.

Seaver's response

Seaver said in a statement through his attorney he was “grateful to put this misunderstanding behind him.”

“Mr. Seaver cares deeply about his Aunt Dolly, her music, her family, and the incredible legacy she left behind,” Seaver's attorney told TMZ in a statement. “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 denied ever threatening anyone, and said his private messages with Danny Nozell — in which he admitted to using “profane” language — were taken out of context in court documents. He maintained that their exchanges were “ultimately friendly,” and said in an October court filing that She's Alive's temporary restraining order against him was interfering with his life and with his position as a beneficiary of Parton's trust.

“I care about Ms. Parton, her music, her legacy, and her family. I do not want this dispute to harm her legacy,” he wrote in an Oct. 13 court filing.

Why it matters

The withdrawal ends a legal dispute between Parton's estate and her nephew, who served as her head of security for more than 20 years before he was fired in September. The case can be refiled because the dismissal was without prejudice.

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Sources

• people.com: Dolly Parton’s Estate Drops Lawsuit Against Her Nephew Bryan Seaver
• theguardian.com: Dolly Parton’s manager drops complaint accusing nephew of harassment | Dolly Parton | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.