The ongoing legal battle between Kellie Pickler and her former in-laws has turned even uglier in a new filing in which they call their former daughter “shockingly callous and lacking in empathy.”
Pickler and her former mother-in-law and father-in-law, Sharon and Reed Jacobs, have been going around and around in court since November of 2024, when she filed a legal brief alleging they had “entered [her] home and obtained items of personal property after [Kyle’s] death” without her permission.
The warring parties have exchanged various filings and briefs since then, and as Us Weekly reports, the Jacobs came out swinging in a new filing on Monday (May 12).
Pickler declined to serve as administrator of her husband, Nashville songwriter and producer Kyle Jacobs’ estate after his unexpected death, leaving his parents to serve as co-administrators.
The issue at hand is the disposition of certain items of Jacobs’ personal property that the Jacobs claim belong to the estate and should revert to them. They claim Pickler has been deliberately preventing them from settling the matter.
According to documents Us Weekly obtained, their new filing states that they are “the proud parents of a son who grew into a highly successful, talent … songwriter … who tragically took his life at a young age.”
The items they say belong “indisputably to the estate” include an extensive gun collection, a gun safe, a sword, expensive watches and guitars, jewelry, school awards and various other musical instruments and personal items. Pickler has said there is a “dispute” over the items in question.
“To suggest that his parents’ actions here could be perceived as anything other than an effort to bring this sad chapter to a speedy close is shockingly callous and lacking in empathy,” the new filing states.
The filing also calls out Pickler’s alleged “continued invective in suggesting that [Reed and Sharon] (or any parent of a deceased child) would utilize the judicial process in such a way that serves only to prolong their suffering and anguish. [Kellie] has taken what should have been a simple matter and turned it into a highly personal crucible, painting herself as the tragic victim.”
Who Was Kellie Pickler’s Husband?
Pickler’s husband, Kyle Jacobs, was a successful and well-respected songwriter and producer in Nashville.
He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in February of 2023 at the age of 49.
A Timeline of the Legal Battle Between Kellie Pickler + Her Late Husband’s Parents
The first time the public knew anything was in dispute was when Pickler filed suit against her late husband’s parents, saying they had removed items from her home without permission.
They responded by alleging that she had set aside items for them to come pick up, and they did so successfully once. However, on subsequent trips, they claim she denied them access to the home she’d shared with their son and even insisted that they engage professional movers to come transport them.
Pickler sold that house for $2.3 million in May of 2024. She has since relocated to a luxurious condo in Nashville.
The Jacobs asked a judge to find Pickler in contempt of court in March 2025 for what they claimed was her refusal to comply with their previous subpoena for their son’s personal items.
Pickler has said she either does not have the items in question, or they belong to her.
The Jacobs issued another subpoena to the funeral home that handled their son’s arrangements, asking for information about his cremation, any personal effects he had when he was delivered to the facility and the disposition of those effects.
What Happens Next in the Court Case Between Kellie Pickler and Her Former In-Laws?
Us Weekly also reports that Pickler recently filed an amended petition asking the court to remove the Jacobs as administrators of their son’s estate, and requesting that she be named the sole heir and beneficiary.
They responded by asking the court not to remove them as administrators. The court has not yet ruled on the matter.
After the court rules on the current motions, they will either proceed, or the court will dismiss.
PICTURES: Kellie Pickler Returns to the Stage at the Ryman Auditorium
Kellie Pickler returned to the stage for the first time since her husband Kyle Jacobs’ death at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Monday night (April 22), performing as part of a tribute to Patsy Cline.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside Kellie Pickler’s Stunning $2.3 Million Nashville Estate
Kellie Pickler has sold the $2.3 million estate where she lived with her late husband, songwriter Kyle Jacobs, and pictures show a luxurious residence that’s a perfect mix of cozy and elegant.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker