Dolly Parton's longtime manager has stepped back from a bitter legal fight with the late singer's nephew.
Danny Nozell filed notice Thursday that he is voluntarily dismissing -- without prejudice -- his lawsuit against Bryan Seaver, Parton's nephew and former head of security, according to court papers obtained by Page Six. The move came ahead of a hearing that had been set for Tuesday and leaves open the chance that Nozell could refile the claims later. It is not clear whether the sides reached a settlement.
Parton died on Aug. 25, 2026, at age 80 after a secret cancer battle. Less than a month later, her estate fired Seaver from his security role. A Tennessee judge then issued a temporary restraining order keeping Seaver and his company 1,000 feet from Parton's Nashville offices and barring interference with her business.
In the September lawsuit, Nozell -- Parton's manager for about 20 years -- accused Seaver of trying to extort money and making threats that invoked weapons and "warfare." One alleged message said Seaver was about to become "the hand of retribution" for his family. Seaver denied the claims to TMZ, saying the texts were private "rage talk" between grieving friends and were taken out of context.
Page Six has also reported Nozell's filing alleged Seaver intimidated staff at Parton's Nashville hotel and museum. An insider later told the outlet Nozell wants the family sidelined and compared his vision for her house to a Graceland-style attraction -- a characterization that underscores how tense the estate fight has become.
Last month, Seaver said he and his daughter were barred from a CMA tribute to Parton that featured Reba McEntire, Katy Perry, Kelsea Ballerini and Carrie Underwood, even as other relatives were invited. He called the tribute beautiful but said he was told not to attend.
With the lawsuit dismissed for now, the public chapter of the Nozell-Seaver clash cools -- but the without-prejudice wording means the legal story around Dolly Parton's estate may not be finished.
Source: Page Six
