Report: Danny Nozell dismisses lawsuit against Bryan Seaver
Rolling Stone reports that Danny Nozell withdrew claims against Bryan Seaver without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of refiling.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Rolling Stone reports that Danny Nozell, Dolly Parton’s longtime manager, filed a voluntary dismissal of claims against her nephew, Bryan Seaver, on Thursday. The reported danny nozell dismisses lawsuit filing was made without prejudice, meaning the claims could be brought again.
The report does not establish why the claims were withdrawn. Lawyers for Nozell and Seaver did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s requests for comment on the reason for the dismissal or whether the sides had reached a settlement.
What does the dismissal mean for Bryan Seaver?
A dismissal without prejudice ends this version of the case but leaves the door open for the claims to be filed again, according to Rolling Stone. It does not, on the reporting available, settle the underlying allegations or determine whether they were true.
The filing came shortly before Nozell’s deadline to answer Seaver’s court denials and ahead of a Tuesday hearing, Rolling Stone reported. That hearing had been expected to consider whether to extend an earlier temporary restraining order. The available reports do not say whether the hearing went ahead or what became of the order after the dismissal.
The dispute emerged publicly in September, when Rolling Stone reported that Nozell sued Seaver in Nashville Chancery Court. The complaint alleged that Seaver engaged in threats and demands for payment connected to Parton’s business interests. Those allegations were not findings of fact.
She’s Alive, the company described by Rolling Stone as being managed by Nozell, oversees Parton-related businesses including Dollywood and the SongTeller hotel in Nashville. An Associated Press report published by ABC7 said a Tennessee judge granted a temporary restraining order in September against Seaver and his security company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services.
According to the AP report, the order barred Seaver and the company from entering She’s Alive property, communicating with or coming within 1,000 feet of its employees and business partners, and interfering with its business relationships.
Seaver has denied threatening anyone. In court filings reported by Rolling Stone, he said messages cited in the complaint had been taken out of context. He said a remark about being paid referred to $251,000 that he contended was owed for security work, and said some private messages had been sent while he was grieving.
Rolling Stone reported that the September judge found the messages cited in the complaint appeared to pair threats with demands for money or other action when issuing the initial temporary order. Seaver disputed that interpretation in his response.
For now, the clearest development is procedural: Rolling Stone says the claims have been voluntarily dismissed without prejudice, while the reason for that move, any agreement between the parties and the status of the earlier restraining order remain unconfirmed.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.