Widow of Malcolm-Jamal Warner Sues Mother-in-Law Over Prenuptial Obligations
Dr. Tenisha Warner has filed a lawsuit in Georgia seeking more than $1.2 million from her mother-in-law, alleging unpaid benefits under a prenuptial agreement and requesting a hold on trust assets.
Dr. Tenisha Warner, the widow of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, filed a civil suit in DeKalb County Superior Court on the anniversary of Warner’s death, claiming the late actor’s mother, Pamela Warner, failed to fulfill financial obligations outlined in their 2017 prenuptial agreement. The complaint seeks over $1.2 million in compensation, citing promised benefits such as a $1 million life-insurance policy, a $5,000 monthly “chief of staff” salary, an annual $16,000 anniversary payment, a tax-free retirement account, and college funds for their children. Warner also asks the court to bar Pamela Warner, who serves as trustee of the family trust, from distributing any trust assets until the dispute is resolved. Court filings estimate the estate’s value between $3.4 million and $6 million.
"I am a firm believer that everything has a purpose and a reason. Some of it is Karma, some of it is one’s journey," Pamela Warner wrote in a social-media tribute posted on the anniversary of her son’s death. Attorneys for Tenisha Warner did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Pamela Warner has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit.