PETTINGILL V. PETTINGILL Questions Presented: Domestic Violence. Appellate Procedure. Issues involve the use of “lethality factors” in a domestic violence determination and the interplay between CR 75.07(4) and CR 98 when the trial videotape is omitted from the record on appeal. Wife was granted DVO against husband by family court. The family court entered a...Read More

A new law goes into effect on January 1, 2016 in Kentucky that will permit the filing of new protective orders, and it is becoming more clear about which courts will hear these cases. The new protective orders, called IPOs (for interpersonal protection order), will allow individuals who are in a dating relationship or believe they...Read More

BOOTES V. BOOTES Wife argued that the Trial Court erred by failing to include Husband’s income from a second business in its child support calculation. Husband ran a second business and gifted all his proceeds to his father. The Appellate Court held that the Trial Court erred by excluding the income from its child support...Read More

Kirilenko v. Kirilenko In a KY divorce, the trial court erred in applying KY law to characterize CN state disability retirement benefits as nonmarital property. Instead, the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws “most significant relationship”  test should be applied and CN law is more appropriate.Read More

Smyrichinsky v. Smyrichinsky When Ky is exercising UIFSA jurisdiction, it lacks authority to alter the duration of child support directed by another state. As to modification of the dependent income tax exemption, Ky has authority to modify who is entitled to the exemption  if it is part of a support order and not a property...Read More

C.D.G. v. N.J.S. Where child receives social security retirement dependent  benefits, and child support obligation of retired child support obligor is not modified, child support payor is entitled to a credit against child support. And, where such benefits are paid retroactively so there is a fund available for recoupement, trial court did not abuse its...Read More

NAVY V. MASSIE, ET AL. Maternal grandparent filed a KRS 405.021(1) motion seeking grandparent’s visitation rights with minor child. Child was living with his paternal aunt and uncle. The exact custody status was unclear, as at least one parent appeared to have some visitation. The general rule regarding grandparent visitation in Kentucky is the rule...Read More

R.P., JR. V. T. A.C., ET AL. The Trial Court entered an Order terminating Biological Father’s parental rights and granting Stepfather’s Petition for adoption of the minor child. Father appealed arguing that the Trial Court did not make sufficient findings to terminate his parental rights. Termination must be supported by clear and convincing evidence. In...Read More

ADDISON V. ADDISON After significant ongoing litigation over custody, the Trial Court ordered that custody be transferred to Father and that Mother have supervised visitation. The Court of Appeals reversed because of the arbitrary time limitation at trial. Upon discretionary review the Ky Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and reinstated the trial court’s...Read More

SALLEE V. SALLEE The Appellate Court vacated and remanded the Family Court’s denial of a Motion for Contempt for Father’s failure to pay child support. The Family Court incorrectly placed the burden of proof on the Mother/obligee to prove an arrearage was owed. Once the child support obligation is established, the child support obligor, in...Read More