Tennessee Court Orders Restraining Order Against Parton Security Chief
Tennessee court issues temporary restraining order against Parton estate security chief; permanent status decided October 20.
Event / Politics
Dolly Parton Estate Legal Dispute
Legal dispute between Bryan Seaver, Dolly Parton's nephew and former head of security, and Danny Nozell, her longtime manager, following Parton's death in August 2026. Nozell obtained a temporary restraining order against Seaver; a hearing is scheduled for October 20, 2026, to determine if the order becomes permanent.
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2026-10-14 to 2026-10-28 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 14 Oct, 10:07 UTC
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What happened
Court hearing scheduled for October 20 to determine restraining order permanence
A hearing is scheduled for October 20, 2026, before Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles where both sides will present their cases regarding whether the temporary restraining order against Bryan Seaver should become permanent.
Restraining order requires Seaver to maintain 1,000-foot distance from She's Alive employees
As part of the temporary restraining order, Bryan Seaver and his company Squadron Augmented Protection Services must refrain from entering any She's Alive property, talking with, or being within 1,000 feet of She's Alive employees, attorneys, and business partners. The order is also meant to keep Seaver from interfering with She's Alive's business relationships.
Dolly Parton praised Seaver in 2024 letter
Seaver included as an exhibit in his court filing a 2024 letter from Dolly Parton praising him and his company. Parton had personally handpicked Seaver to announce her death once she succumbed to cancer, which he did in a prerecorded video announcing her passing.
She's Alive terminated Seaver in early September 2026
She's Alive, the entity founded by Danny Nozell to manage and protect Dolly Parton's estate, terminated Bryan Seaver and his company Squadron Augmented Protection Services in early September 2026. The following week, She's Alive petitioned for the restraining order against Seaver, arguing that his "terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable."
Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026
Country music legend Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, after battling cancer. Parton was a widely beloved cultural icon who wrote hundreds of songs including classics such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You." Her music earned more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.
Seaver claims debt dispute motivated controversial messages
Bryan Seaver argued that his anger and demands in text messages to Danny Nozell were motivated by a debt of more than $250,000 that his company Squadron Augmented Protection Services was owed for completed work by Herschend Family Entertainment, which operates Dolly Parton's amusement park Dollywood and her Songteller Hotel. In one September 1 message, Seaver wrote: "I'm going to set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly's brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us. It's going to be great. Or f pay me."
Tennessee judge grants temporary restraining order against Dolly Parton's security chief
A Tennessee court granted a temporary restraining order filed by She's Alive, an entity run by Dolly Parton's longtime manager Danny Nozell and founded to manage Parton's estate. The order was granted against Bryan Seaver, Parton's nephew and longtime head of security, and his private security firm Squadron Augmented Protection Services. Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles cited Seaver's "claimed access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate" in granting the order. She's Alive alleged that Seaver and his company used "terroristic threats, harassment, and intimidation."
Bryan Seaver disputes restraining order in court filing
Bryan Seaver filed an affidavit on October 8, 2026, opposing the temporary restraining order becoming permanent. Seaver denied ever sending threatening messages to Parton's businesses or business partners. He characterized text messages cited as evidence against him as "private conversation between two friends who were both frustrated, grieving and discussing strategy" sent shortly before and after Parton's death. Seaver claimed Nozell did not react with alarm to the messages at the time and agreed with or reacted positively to some of them.
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