Two years after her death, Shannen Doherty's ex-husband fights for control of her estate
Actress Shannen Doherty divorced Kurt Iswarienko one day before her death. They were together for 13 years
Kurt Iswarienko, the ex-husband of the late actress Shannen Doherty, filed a legal motion to block a court ruling that would allow the replacement of the trustee of the star's estate, according to court documents obtained by Page Six.
The application, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, argues that the court “lacks jurisdiction” in the matter due to the couple’s divorce and Doherty’s subsequent death on July 13, 2024. Iswarienko maintains that, since Doherty died hours after signing the divorce agreement, the court should not have issued an official divorce decree on July 15, nor should it intervene now in the appointment of the trustee.
Dispute over legal authority
In his filing, Iswarienko also challenges the authority of the current trustee, Christopher Cortazzo, alleging that he has not adequately demonstrated that the trust grants him the power to request changes from the court.
Cortazzo had filed documents on November 24 seeking to become the “successor in interest” of Doherty’s estate to advance the pending litigation between the actress and her ex-husband.
The conflict intensifies following accusations from Doherty’s estate against Iswarienko for breaching the divorce agreement. According to the documents, the photographer has allegedly failed to put their $1.5 million home in Dripping Springs, Texas, up for sale and is withholding more than $50,000 owed to the estate, in addition to not returning the actress’s personal belongings.
Actress’s Last Wish
The divorce was finalized on the same day as Doherty’s death, following a nine-year battle with breast cancer that had spread to her brain and bones.
Sources close to the actress previously revealed to Page Six that Doherty fought to the end to finalize the separation, worried that Iswarienko could access her fortune, valued at millions of dollars. “We knew it was really serious,” a friend of Doherty’s stated.“We just wanted Shannon to fulfill her last wish: to die a divorced woman.”
Doherty’s estate representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The legal dispute continues as the future of the estate of the beloved “Charmed” and “Beverly Hills, 90210” star is determined.