ATLANTA —The widow of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” has filed a lawsuit in DeKalb County Superior Court against his mother, seeking more than $1.2 million from a family trust one year after the actor’s tragic death.
Tenisha Warner filed the lawsuit on Monday — the anniversary of her husband’s death — naming Pamela Warner as the successor trustee of the Warner Family Trust, which the late actor established in 1996. Court documents allege that Malcolm-Jamal Warner did not fulfill several obligations outlined in the couple’s premarital agreement signed shortly before their 2022 wedding.
Malcolm Jamal Warner Family Trust Dispute: Widow Sues Mother for $1.2M
According to the filing, those obligations included maintaining a $1 million term life insurance policy naming Tenisha as the beneficiary, along with other financial provisions such as annual payments, Roth IRA contributions, and compensation for her role as his chief of staff. Tenisha Warner is seeking approximately $1,276,042 plus attorney fees and interest. She also requests that the court freeze any distributions from the trust during the litigation.
Warner, who had ties to the Atlanta area and was sometimes described locally as an Atlanta actor, drowned at age 54 on July 20, 2025, while on a family vacation in Costa Rica. He was caught in a strong rip current while swimming with his young daughter, who was rescued. The couple shared a 9-year-old daughter, MacKenzie.
Tenisha Warner has stated that she upheld her responsibilities under the agreement and attempted private resolution before turning to the courts. She now finds herself supporting their daughter alone as the estate may lack sufficient assets to cover the claims. The 1996 trust reportedly directs the majority of assets to Pamela Warner and other family members from before the marriage, which Tenisha argues does not reflect her late husband’s intentions toward her and their child.
Pamela Warner has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.
This local case highlights ongoing tensions in estate and family trust matters following high-profile losses, particularly when premarital agreements and long-standing trusts intersect. The DeKalb County filing brings the dispute directly into Atlanta’s legal spotlight.