Daveigh Chase's father seeks neutral fiduciary to manage her $400,000 estate

Daveigh Chase's father has asked a Los Angeles court to appoint a neutral fiduciary to manage her $400,000 estate, countering her mother's own bid to administer it.

Daveigh Chase, the actress best known for her roles in 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'The Ring,' left behind an estate valued at $400,000 in personal property at the time of her death — despite having been living unhoused in Los Angeles. The size of the estate, reported in court documents, has drawn competing claims from her surviving parents over who should manage it. Two weeks after Chase's mother, Cathy Chase, filed to become administrator of the estate, Chase's father, John Schwallier, filed his own court documents on July 23, 2025, in Los Angeles. Rather than seeking the role for himself, Schwallier asked the court to appoint an independent fiduciary — a neutral third party — to oversee the estate instead. Both Page Six and Us Magazine obtained the court filings independently, and their accounts agree on the core facts: the $400,000 valuation, the mother's prior petition, and the father's July 23 counter-filing requesting a fiduciary.

Why it matters

The dispute illustrates competing family interests over a substantial estate left by a young actress who died while unhoused, and the outcome will determine who controls how her assets are distributed.

What's next

A Los Angeles court will need to rule on whether to appoint Cathy Chase as administrator or grant John Schwallier's request for an independent fiduciary.

Key facts

• Daveigh Chase's estate is valued at $400,000 in personal property, per court documents
• Chase was living unhoused in Los Angeles at the time of her death
• Her mother, Cathy Chase, first filed to become estate administrator
• Her father, John Schwallier, filed a counter-petition on July 23, 2025
• Schwallier's filing requests a neutral fiduciary rather than a family member to manage the estate
• Both filings were made in a Los Angeles court

Bias & framing notes

Both outlets report the same core facts from the same court documents, providing reasonable corroboration. However, neither source details Schwallier's specific stated reasons for opposing his ex-wife's appointment, leaving his rationale somewhat opaque. Page Six's framing emphasizes the father 'seeking to oversee' the estate, which slightly overstates his position — he actually sought a neutral third party, not personal control.

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