Dolly Parton Estate Granted Restraining Order Against Nephew

A Nashville court has granted Dolly Parton's estate a temporary restraining order against her nephew, Bryan Seaver.

Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles of the Nashville Chancery Court issued the order on Wednesday. A follow-up hearing is set for 7 October, Rolling Stone reported.

The order is a short-term court direction that stays in place until a judge hears fuller arguments. It requires Seaver to stay at least 1,000 feet from estate employees and business partners. He must also stay off private property owned by the estate and refrain from disruptive or harassing conduct.

The restrictions also apply to Squadron Augmented Protection Services, the security firm organised by Seaver. That detail puts both Seaver and his company under the same limits.

The application was brought by Danny Nozell. He is the sole manager of She's Alive LLC, the company Parton designated to control her professional property and business interests after her death. Nozell sought protection for himself and Parton's business partners, according to earlier reporting by E! News.

The request also sought to stop Seaver from contacting employees of She's Alive, The Associated Press reported. That would cut direct communication between Seaver and the staff running the estate's day-to-day business.

Court papers accuse Seaver of an obscene, deliberate and escalating campaign of threats to extract money, as first reported by Rolling Stone. In granting the order, the judge found that Seaver had expressly linked threatened interference with Parton's commercial interests to a demand for payment.

Seaver had held a security role connected to Parton's business. He was removed from that role on 15 September. He is the relative who announced Parton's death in a prerecorded video posted to her Instagram account.

The hearing on 7 October will determine what happens next.