Chadwick Boseman's Brothers Break Silence on Legal Battle: 'Our Parents Have Sought Clarity'

Chadwick Boseman's brothers spoke out after filing a lawsuit seeking to remove his widow, Taylor Simone Ledward, as the administrator of the late actor's estate.

In a statement released on Wednesday, July 23, Derrick Boseman and Kevin Boseman said, "For years, our parents have sought clarity regarding matters connected to the estate of our brother, Chadwick Boseman, including his intellectual property and legacy."

They added, "This action was filed on behalf of, and with the authority of, our parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, who assigned their respective interests in the estate to Boseman Family LLC."

The statement came days after Derrick and Kevin, on July 17, petitioned a Los Angeles court to replace Taylor as administrator, claiming the estate had not been fully distributed despite a prior court order.

Per court documents obtained by People, the Boseman brothers alleged that "Our family was unaware, until recently, that nearly four years after the Court’s October 4, 2022 Order for Final Distribution, the Administrator had not closed the probate estate."

"Our petition seeks enforcement of the Court’s Order and the relief requested in the filing," the family's statement said. "Because this matter is now before the Court, we will respect the legal process while remaining focused on the facts set forth in the petition."

According to the filing, Chadwick died without a will in August 2020, about six days after marrying Taylor. Under California law, Taylor was entitled to 50 percent of his estate, while his parents, Leroy Boseman and Carolyn Boseman, were entitled to 25 percent.

The petition claimed Taylor continued to exercise sole control over the estate and had not allowed Chadwick's family to participate in decisions affecting their parents' interests.

The petition also alleged that the estate included assets beyond those previously disclosed, including royalties and residuals, image and intellectual property rights, real estate, a previously undisclosed CNB bank account, and other personal property.

Derrick and Kevin claimed Taylor never gave Carolyn the $40,000 long-term care policy mentioned in the petition. They also alleged that one of Chadwick's bank accounts and his IRA remained "inexplicably open," while several SAG-AFTRA residual payments had not been accounted for.

"On behalf of our parents, we are committed to ensuring that transparency, accountability, and respect guide the resolution of these matters. Our hope is that this process brings clarity, honors the Court’s orders, and ensures the responsible stewardship of Chadwick’s legacy," the statement said.

They added, "We love our brother, and we remain committed to preserving his legacy with dignity, integrity, and respect."

The petition also requested that Jason Rubin, a private professional fiduciary and forensic accountant, be appointed as the new administrator of the estate to replace Taylor.

"While these matters proceed through the appropriate legal process, we remain focused on protecting our parents’ interests, honoring Chadwick responsibly, and continuing the purposeful work we are building through Boseman Family LLC," the statement concluded.