Dolly Parton sisters deny feud amid legal dispute with nephew

Dolly Parton’s sisters have publicly rejected reports of a family feud, stating the dispute over the late country legend’s legacy is limited to a specific legal conflict with her nephew. The clarification comes as a temporary restraining order granted in Nashville complicates the administration of Parton’s estate.

Freida Parton addressed the rumors on Instagram on Wednesday, asserting that no one in the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly’s estate. She emphasized that the family remains united and that they all love Bryan. Stella Parton echoed these sentiments on Thursday, noting that the family is intact and moving forward to provide strength to their children and grandchildren during this difficult time. Stella also mentioned the grief surrounding the loss of their brother Denver, who passed away less than a month before Dolly.

The legal conflict centers on Danny Nozell, who manages She's Alive, LLC, an entity created by Parton to oversee her business interests. Nozell filed for a temporary restraining order against Bryan Seaver and Seaver’s security company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services. A Tennessee judge granted the order on Wednesday, citing a pattern of alleged threats and demands for payment. The court documents referenced Seaver’s claimed access to weapons and intention to retaliate.

Nozell and She's Alive accused Seaver of sending increasingly threatening messages after the company fired him for alleged terrorizing conduct. Court documents obtained by The Associated Press include a text message from Seaver dated Sept. 1, in which he threatened to ruin Dolly’s brand partnerships or demanded payment. Seaver responded to the allegations in a statement to TMZ, claiming his messages were taken out of context. His company had provided Parton’s security detail throughout her career, and Parton had chosen Seaver to publicly announce her death on Aug. 25.