Chadwick Boseman Estate Sparks Legal Battle Between Parents and Widow

A legal fight has broken out over the administration of Chadwick Boseman’s estate, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. The actor's parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, have filed a petition in California state court seeking to remove his widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, from her role overseeing its assets.

The petition, filed on July 17, accuses Ledward Boseman of violating a court order mandating the distribution of funds and mismanaging the company that holds Boseman’s rights and prior works. It asks the court to hold her in contempt and to issue an injunction barring her from exercising unilateral control over estate property.

What do the allegations say?

The filing states that funds from the estate have not been fully disbursed to the beneficiaries. It alleges Ledward Boseman “has still not distributed the estate, nor has she filed a petition for discharge,” and continues to exercise “complete control” while shutting the actor’s family out of decisions.

The petition also focuses on Chadwick Boseman Inc., the company that manages the late actor’s image and intellectual property rights, which is owned 50% by Ledward Boseman and 50% by his parents.

What is the dispute over his intellectual property?

The legal filing claims Ledward Boseman has kept other family members in the dark regarding the company’s operations, appointed herself as CEO without holding board meetings, and used her control to enter into contracts. These include a deal with Words + Pictures Productions for a documentary about Boseman’s life and a contract for the production of “Deep Azure,” a play written by Chadwick Boseman.

“By holding herself out as the sole authority over Decedent’s assets, she is defrauding anyone she contracts with and puts those agreements at risk of recission,” the petition states. Boseman died in August 2020 from colon cancer without a will. Under California law, his estate was divided equally between Ledward Boseman and his parents. In addition to seeking her removal as administrator, Boseman’s parents request an order requiring Ledward Boseman to produce a complete accounting for every transaction made since she was appointed administrator in 2020.