Taylor Simone Ledward, the widow of the late actor Chadwick Boseman, is challenging an attempt by his two older brothers, Derrick and Kevin Boseman, to remove her as administrator of the "Black Panther" star's estate.
In new court documents filed in Los Angeles, Leadward is denying the actor's brothers' accusations that she failed to properly distribute his estate under a 2022 court order. Her defense says the allegations are false and the legal process has been used as an attempt to tarnish her reputation through the media.
Derrick and Kevin Boseman filed the lawsuit on behalf of their parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman. They claim that nearly four years after the court ruling the actor's widow has still not completed the distribution of the inheritance.
Taylor Simone Ledward disputes this. Her lawyer, Adam Streisand, claims in court documents that she not only complied with the court's orders, but also voluntarily provided her husband's family with significantly more than the law requires.
According to Ledward's defense, all of Chadwick Boseman's estate assets have been distributed except for one account, the release of which was blocked by the brothers' previous legal actions.
Among the assets listed are $151,558 in a Bank of America account, 100 shares of Chadwick Boseman, Inc. valued at $3,396,969, a $40,000 life insurance policy and another bank account with $241,180.75. The documents also list unclaimed property worth $88 cents.
The dispute also involves an individual retirement account worth about $300,000. According to Taylor Simon Ledward, these funds were not distributed precisely because of previous legal actions by the actor's brothers.
The defense also points out that Chadwick Boseman's widow voluntarily provided more than $300,000 of her personal funds to Derrick Boseman's four children. Her lawyers use this fact as an argument against the claim that she intentionally withheld funds intended for the late actor's parents.
After Boseman's death, his estate also received approximately $300,000 in residual fees through the actors' organization SAG-AFTRA. According to the court decision, 50% of these funds are due to Taylor Simone Ledward, and 25% to each of the actor's parents. According to the new documents, at their request, Ledward paid $75,000 each to Derrick and Kevin Boseman for the period 2020-2024.
However, the actor's brothers claim that Taylor Simone Ledward, who receives 50% of the inheritance, should have divided the remaining half equally between Leroy and Caroline Boseman. According to them, each of the parents is entitled to 25%, and the final distribution has not been made.
In his response, Ledward categorically denies the allegations of concealment or improper management of property. Her defense says no assets were lost, wasted or mismanaged and that the estate was administered transparently.
Court documents also reveal details of Taylor Simon Ledward's efforts to preserve her husband's creative legacy. After his death, she helped found the Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts, worked on securing the rights to stage his play “Deep Azure“ at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and worked on a documentary project about the actor.
Chadwick Boseman died on August 28, 2020, at the age of 43 after a years-long battle with colon cancer, which he had not publicly announced. The actor, world-famous for his role as King T'Challa in “Black Panther“ and the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, left no will.
New court documents also reveal the exact date of his marriage to Taylor Simone Ledward. The two were married on August 21, 2020, just a week before the actor's death. The ceremony was officiated by his brother Derrick Boseman.
According to Ledward's lawyers, she was by Chadwick Boseman's side and cared for him during his treatment. Her defense is urging the court to reject Derrick and Kevin Boseman's request to remove her as administrator of the estate.
The lawsuit continues, with allegations about the way Chadwick Boseman's estate was managed and distributed remaining under review by the court.