Tennessee Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order Against Dolly Parton's Nephew

A Tennessee judge on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order in favor of Dolly Parton's estate, known as She’s Alive, against the late singer’s nephew Bryan Seaver and his company Squadron Augmented Protection Services (SAPS). The order bars Seaver and SAPS from contacting or approaching She’s Alive employees, attorneys and business partners within 1,000 feet and aims to prevent interference with the estate’s operations. A hearing on the matter is set for Oct. 7.

She’s Alive, which manages Parton's professional assets, filed the complaint after terminating Seaver and SAPS last week, alleging that Seaver sent a series of threatening messages that sought to damage Parton's brand and business relationships. Court filings describe the communications as “terroristic threats, harassment, and intimidation,” and cite Seaver’s background in private-military contracting.

The complaint includes excerpts from texts and emails sent by Seaver in the weeks surrounding Parton's death, in which he referenced plans to launch a podcast aimed at harming the estate’s brand partnerships and claimed to have sold large quantities of ammunition abroad. The estate says the messages prompted the resignation of its attorney and staff, and led to the hiring of additional security for employees.

Seaver, who was part of Parton's security team and announced her death from cancer, did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for SAPS also declined to comment.

Legal analyst Caroline Polisi noted that while the presented texts portray a concerning pattern of behavior, the complaint provides limited technical legal detail.