Nearly two years after the death of Beverly Hills 90210 icon Shannen Doherty, a legal dispute between her estate and ex-husband Kurt Iswarienko is still unfolding, with both sides sharply divided over whether a last-minute divorce agreement can be enforced.
In newly filed court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Iswarienko is pushing back against claims that he owes the estate money and property under a settlement signed just days before Doherty’s death in July 2024.
His legal argument focuses squarely on jurisdiction. According to the filing, the divorce action should have ended when Doherty died, rendering the agreement unenforceable.
The timeline is central to the dispute. Doherty signed the settlement on July 12, 2024. Iswarienko signed on July 13. Doherty died later that same day, and the agreement was formally entered into court records on July 15.
Iswarienko now maintains that the court no longer had authority over the matter once Doherty passed away, arguing the case “should have been terminated” at that point.
The estate, however, claims Iswarienko failed to comply with several financial terms outlined in the agreement. One of the primary issues concerns a four-bedroom home in Dripping Springs, Texas, valued at $1.5 million. The estate alleges Iswarienko was obligated to list the property for sale and that Doherty’s estate is entitled to a share of the proceeds.
Disputes also extend to Iswarienko’s photography work. The settlement states that Doherty was entitled to “one-half of all licensing/syndication fees” derived from creative work produced during the marriage, which spanned from October 2011 through January 2023.
The estate claims it has not received its share and has also accused Iswarienko of failing to fully account for artwork and personal property belonging to the actress.
Additionally, the estate alleges Iswarienko did not pay $50,274 that he had agreed to provide in order to buy out Doherty’s interest in a jointly owned airplane and hangar.
Prior to her death, Doherty detailed her financial circumstances in a declaration tied to the divorce proceedings. “As a result of my recurrent health issues, I have been largely unable to work and have no future employment prospects,” she stated.
She further explained that “virtually all of the income I earn is residual income from work that I performed prior to marriage,” adding plainly, “I have not worked since 2022.”
Doherty and Iswarienko married in 2011, and she filed for divorce in 2023.