Wagoner filed a $3 million lawsuit against Parton on March 21, 1979, alleging breach of contract. The lawsuit sought an accounting of Parton's net income and record royalties to the date of judgment, 15% of her net income from June 1974 through June 1979, and 15% of her record royalties from the date the payments ceased to the date of judgment. Wagoner hoped for the court to issue a declaratory judgment that Parton "is liable under contract to pay Porter Wagoner 15% of her record royalties earned from the date of judgment for so long as she receives such record royalties." As an alternative to this, Wagoner sought $2 million for "future loss of income from Dolly Parton's net income and record royalties." The suit was settled out of court, with Parton later saying, "It took me a while to pay it off, but he got the first million dollars I ever made."
