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The legal battle between Dolly Parton‘s nephew Bryan Seaver and the late singer’s estate is continuing on as he attempts to find a lawyer amid claims that he used extreme measures to avoid the estate’s summons.
Seaver — who was fired last month as the late star’s longtime head of security but has denied all allegations against him — filed a motion in Nashville on Oct. 2 asking the court to delay a hearing scheduled for Oct. 9, as he’d been unable to find a lawyer to represent him, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. He is currently going head to head in court against She’s Alive, the company Parton set up before her Aug. 25 death that’s dedicated to posthumously protecting her professional property and business interests.
Seaver’s request was granted by a judge on Tuesday, Oct. 6, pushing the hearing to Oct. 20. But in his filing, Parton’s nephew, 49, wrote that upon being served a restraining order and a lawsuit by She’s Alive on Sept. 23, he “immediately” began looking for legal representation, and could not meet with his preferred choice until Oct. 5.
In a response, She’s Alive asked the court to deny Seaver’s motion, writing in documents filed on Monday, Oct. 5 that Seaver “attempted to evade service of process, and this court should not reward that behavior.”
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In the documents, She’s Alive said they’d attempted to serve Seaver his summons three different times. On the second, the server saw four cars in the driveway of Seaver’s house, but no one answered the door.
“Eventually, Mr. Seaver’s residence had a no-trespᴀssing sign in the front yard and barbed wire draped across the handrails leading to the front door,” the filing said.
She’s Alive encouraged the court to take Seaver’s claim that he tried to find legal counsel immediately “with considerable skepticism,” as they allege he never provided the name of any lawyer or any reason why he couldn’t meet his ᴅᴇᴀᴅline to respond.
“He waited until the last moment to take any action, and the court should not reward that behavior,” the filing said. “Moreover… Mr. Seaver already has lawyers who appear to be anxious to represent him.”
In an exhibit filed alongside the motion, She’s Alive included an email allegedly sent by Seaver on Aug. 21, just four days before Parton died. In the email, he threatened to sic his lawyers upon his unidentified email recipient.
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“If you think my harsh language is too much for you or your failing vendors to digest, just wait until my lawyers start f—ing you up the ᴀss,” he wrote. “I challenge you to bring spurious and feeble complaints. Let’s play ball you f—ing s—bag loser. Why is your side of this project continually f—ed up and behind the curve?”
Seaver’s newly appointed attorneys did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Seaver, the son of Parton’s sister Cᴀssie, has been accused of making “chilling” extortionary threats invoking his military background, and of prompting the resignation of multiple employees.
“I’ve never threatened anyone. They are my friends and my brothers and colleagues,” said Seaver, who called the restraining order a “publicity stunt” in a statement to ABC News.
He also claimed that “threatening” comments shared in court filings were taken out of context in conversations with Parton’s longtime manager Danny Nozell, who operates She’s Alive.