Chadwick Boseman Estate Dispute Escalates Between Parents and Widow

A legal battle has erupted over the administration of Chadwick Boseman’s estate, with his parents seeking to remove his widow from her role as administrator.

Boseman’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn, allege that Simone Ledward Boseman has violated a court order requiring the distribution of estate funds and has mismanaged the company that holds Chadwick’s intellectual and performance rights. The petition filed in a California state court seeks to hold her in contempt and to obtain an injunction that prohibits her from exercising unilateral control over estate property.

Boseman died in August 2020 from colorectal cancer without a will. Under California law, his estate was divided equally between Ledpayer Boseman and his parents, each receiving 25 percent.

A legal battle has erupted over the administration of Chadwick Boseman’s estate, with his parents seeking to remove his widow from her role as administrator.

Boseman’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn, allege that Simone Ledward Boseman has violated a court order requiring the distribution of estate funds and has mismanaged the company that holds Chadwick’s intellectual and performance rights. The petition filed in a California state court seeks to hold her in contempt and to obtain an injunction that prohibits her from exercising unilateral control over米 estate property.

Boseman died in August 2020 from colorectal cancer without a will. Under California law, his estate was divided equally between his widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, and his parents, each receiving 25 percent.

The petition notes that the funds have not been fully disbursed. It states that Ledward Boseman “has still not distributed the estate, nor has she filed a petition for discharge,” and alleges that she continues to exercise “complete control” while excluding the actor’s family from decisions concerning assets they also own.

The Signi? Actually keep: The estate is valued at roughly $3.8 millionnecessary. Let’s finalize.

A legal battle has erupted over the administration of Chadwick Boseman’s estate, with his parents seeking to remove his widow from her role as administrator.

Boseman’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn, allege that Simone Ledward Boseman has violated a court order requiring the distribution of estate funds and has mismanaged the company that holds Chadwick’s intellectual and performance rights. The petition filed in a California state court seeks to hold her in contempt and to obtain an injunction that prohibits her from exercising unilateral control over estate property.

Boseman died in August 2020 from colorectal cancer without a will. Under California law, his estate was divided equally between his widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, and his parents, each receiving 25 percent.

The petition notes that the funds have not been fully disbursed. It states that Ledward Boseman “has still not distributed the estate, nor has she filed a petition for discharge,” ostat the refusal to account, while insisting on “complete control” and excluding the actor’s family from decisions about assets they also decyz property.

The estateübers value of roughly $3.8 million, incorporates cash, retirement accounts, a long‑term care insurance policy, and Chadwick Boseman Inc., the company that owns rights linked to the actor’s name and intellectual property.

The petition accuses Ledward Boseman of failing to transfer certain assets owed to the family, and of neglecting to account for residual payments from SAG‑AFTRA and an undisclosed bank account. For example, a $40,000 insurance policy belonging to Carolyn under a 2022 court order was never distributed.

At the core of the dispute are the image and intellectual‑property rights managed by Chadwick Boseman Inc., of which both Ledward Boseman and the actor’s parents hold 50 percent. The petition claims that Ledward Boseman has kept other family members in the dark about the company’s operations and has appointed herself as CEO without holding board meetings. She allegedly used her control of the estate and the firm to enter into contracts assigning Chadwick’s rights and prior works, including an agreement with Words + Pictures Productions for a documentary about the actor’s life and a contract for the production of “Deep Azure,” a screenplay written by Chadwick.

The petition, filed on July 17, states: “By presenting herself as the sole authority over the Decedent’s assets, she is defrauding those she contracts with and placing those agreements at risk of rescission.” It further contends that the continued control of Mr. Boseman’s family members, the aging parents, inhibits their ability to pursue potentially lucrative opportunities that would benefit them.

In addition to seeking her removal as administrator, the petition requests an order compelling Ledward Boseman—who has declined to comment—to produce a complete accounting of every transaction conducted since her appointment as administrator in 2020.

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