A year after actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner passed away, a family legal dispute has broken out between his widow, Tenisha, and his mother, Pamela.

According to court documents, Tenisha is taking Pamela Warner to court over the family trust. She claims Pamela isn’t honoring the financial terms set out in her and Malcolm’s May 2022 prenuptial agreement.

Beloved star, Malcolm-Jamal Warner died on July 20, 2025, after drowning while on vacation in Costa Rica. He was 54 years old.

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In the lawsuit, Tenisha claims Malcolm agreed to maintain a $1 million life insurance policy naming her as the sole beneficiary. She also alleges the agreement included annual tax-free payments of $16,000, regular contributions to a Roth IRA, and a $5,000 monthly salary for her work as his chief of staff and assistant.

According to the filing, Tenisha says she’s owed about $1.28 million—a figure that includes unpaid salary, missed annual payouts, retirement funds, and a life insurance policy that was never funded.

Tenisha says Malcolm’s estate doesn’t have enough money to cover what she’s owed, so she’s asking the court to let her get paid out of the family trust instead. On top of that, she wants interest, legal fees, and a freeze on the trust’s money until the judge sorts everything out.

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The court hasn’t decided on the claims yet, and the case is still ongoing.