Kellie Pickler Petitions For Sole Heir To Late Husband's Estate In Battle With In-Laws

Kellie Pickler is turning up the heat in an already explosive courtroom clash with her in-laws, Reed and Sharon Jacobs.

This time, the country singer is asking the court to amend her petition with new explosive claims. Kellie also alleged that Kyle's parents made unexpected demands related to his cremation and funeral arrangements.

Kellie Pickler and her former in-laws have been locked in a tense legal battle for nearly two years following the death of Kyle Jacobs.

Kellie is taking bold legal action to claim full control of her late husband's estate, and his parents are not backing down. In a recent filing, Kellie petitioned to be named the sole heir and beneficiary.

She also asked the court to strip Reed and Sharon of their roles as estate administrators and requested a full breakdown of how they have managed the estate so far.

The wife of the late musician had originally declined to serve as administrator following Kyle's death in February 2023. His parents were appointed in her place, but tensions have clearly escalated since then.

Now, in newly surfaced court records obtained by In Touch, Reed and Sharon are challenging Kellie's demands. They formally opposed her effort to amend her petition and insisted they should remain in charge of their son's estate.

The legal war between Kellie and her late husband's parents got uglier before her recent move. Reed and Sharon accused Kellie of dodging a court subpoena earlier this year and asked the court to hold her in contempt. But she fired back, saying the subpoena was not court-approved or legally binding.

In court filings, tensions boiled over. Reed and Sharon's attorney blasted Kellie's legal response, calling it "vitriol" and defending the parents as grieving and honorable.

"[Reed and Sharon] 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 lawyer wrote.

The legal rep added that Kellie's claims were "shockingly callous and lacking in empathy," arguing that the couple's only goal is to wrap up the probate process, not to prolong their pain.

The lawyer also urged the court to consider what they described as Kellie's pattern of turning the legal proceedings into a personal attack. "[Kellie] has taken what should have been a simple matter and turned it into a highly personal crucible, painting herself as the tragic victim," the statement read.

The couple subpoenaed Kellie in a push to retrieve their son's remaining belongings. Court documents revealed that the Jacobses demanded Kellie appear at their attorney's office with Kyle's property.

While they acknowledged receiving an initial inventory from the 38-year-old in May 2023, their lawyer claimed attempts over the next year to recover those items informally had "limited success."

The documents stated that for months, the two sides tried to coordinate a date and process to hand over Kyle's personal items. Although Kellie reportedly provided some additional belongings after receiving the subpoena, Reed and Sharon said negotiations stalled again and called the situation an "impasse."

Adding to the tension, she sold the home where Kyle had lived for $2.3 million in May 2024.  

The property dispute was just one part of the ongoing legal fight between Kellie and her in-laws following Kyle's death. Back in April, Kellie found herself in another emotional courtroom clash with her late husband's parents, this time over the details of his funeral and cremation.

The Blast reported that Reed and Sharon issued a subpoena to Harpeth Memorial Gardens Funeral Home & Cremation Center. They sought records related to funeral arrangements, including any communication involving Kellie and a list of Kyle's personal items that were turned over to the funeral home.

The Jacobses also asked for clarity on whether any items were cremated with their son, as well as access to documents tied to the services held after his death. Although the funeral home did not object to the subpoena, the couple claimed it had yet to produce the requested materials.

The TV personality made it clear she was stepping up her legal strategy by bringing on attorney John I. Harris, a veteran lawyer with decades of experience in probate, civil, and firearms law.

He joined her legal team, which already included William Harbison, Lisa Helton, and Andrea Sinclair. Harris has been practicing since 1986 and is known for handling complex cases involving estate issues and disputes over firearms.

His background in Second Amendment law and dealings with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms added a new layer of expertise to Kellie's side, especially as tensions in the case turned toward ownership of Kyle's gun collection.

By tapping a specialist in gun-related estate matters, Kellie signaled she was ready to dig in for what was shaping up to be a long and detailed legal battle with her late husband's parents.

Will Kellie Pickler and Kyle Jacobs' parents find common ground, or will this family feud drag on in court?