A new development has emerged in the legal dispute surrounding the estate of late country music icon Dolly Parton. Lawyers representing her estate claim that her nephew Bryan Seaver appeared to take unusual measures to prevent process servers from delivering legal papers to him, including placing caution tape and barbed wire across the entrance to his home.The allegation was made in a recent court filing by She’s Alive LLC, the entity established to manage and protect Parton’s business interests after her death. The estate’s lawyers were responding to Seaver’s request for additional time to find an attorney ahead of a hearing concerning a temporary restraining order against him.According to the filing, attempts were made three times to serve Seaver with the lawsuit. During one visit, a process server reportedly saw four cars in the driveway but received no response at the front door. The estate says that on a later attempt, a “no trespassing” sign had appeared in the yard, while barbed wire was allegedly placed across the handrails leading to the front entrance.The estate also submitted a photograph that appeared to show barbed wire stretched across the railings of Seaver’s porch, along with strips of yellow caution tape. However, the filing only alleges that these measures were intended to prevent service; there has been no court finding that Seaver installed them specifically for that purpose.The latest dispute is part of a larger legal battle that began after Seaver, who had worked as Parton’s head of security, was accused by She’s Alive of making threatening statements toward people connected to the singer’s estate and business interests. A Tennessee judge previously granted the estate a temporary restraining order, requiring Seaver and his security company to stay away from estate property and remain at least 1,000 feet from its employees and business partners.Court documents cited by the estate include messages in which Seaver allegedly threatened to damage Parton’s brand and discussed launching a podcast aimed at her business partnerships. The judge said the alleged communications were concerning because they were accompanied by demands for payment and references to Seaver’s claimed access to weapons and experience with violence.Seaver has denied that his messages were threats. In a statement previously given to the media, he said his comments had been taken out of context and described them as private conversations with people he considered friends. He also said Parton had jokingly referred to him as her “killer.”
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The estate’s latest filing argues that Seaver should not receive additional time to prepare his defense because, according to its lawyers, he had already attempted to avoid being served with the lawsuit. A hearing regarding the restraining order is currently scheduled for October 9, although that date could change if the court grants Seaver’s request for more time to obtain legal representation.The legal fight comes just weeks after Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. Seaver was the family member who publicly announced her death in a video shared through Parton’s social media accounts.
