Kurt Iswarienko, the ex-husband of late actress Shannen Doherty, has filed legal documents seeking to prevent a court-approved change to the trustee overseeing her trust. In paperwork submitted to the Los Angeles Superior Court, Iswarienko argues the court lacks jurisdiction over the matter following Doherty’s death on July 13, 2024, and their recent divorce. He contends the divorce judgment became invalid upon her passing, nullifying the court’s authority to rule on trustee substitution.
The filing disputes Christopher Cortazzo’s request to become successor trustee of Doherty’s estate, questioning whether Cortazzo has proper authorization from the trust itself. Cortazzo had petitioned the court on November 24 to gain control of the estate, aiming to enforce divorce terms requiring Iswarienko to sell their $1.5 million Texas home and return $50,000 allegedly owed. The estate additionally claims Iswarienko failed to relinquish Doherty’s personal property.
Doherty and Iswarienko signed their divorce agreement hours before her death from a years-long battle with metastatic breast cancer. A judge finalized the divorce on July 15. Sources close to Doherty revealed she prioritized finalizing the divorce, believing it would protect her multimillion-dollar estate from Iswarienko, whom she accused of infidelity. A friend stated, “She fought so hard… All we wanted was for Shannon to get her final wish—to die as a divorced woman.” Representatives for Doherty’s estate declined to comment on the latest filing.