D.W. v. Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Commonwealth of Kentucky; N.W.W., a child; and T.A., natural mother, Case No. 2021-CA-1011-ME There are two issues addressed in the present appeal: (1) whether counsel e-filing the notice of appeal for the TPR (termination of parental rights) case in a related DNA (dependency, neglect, abuse) case was...Read More

Cabinet for Health and Family Services v. Batie, et al. No. 2021-CA-0580-ME Boyd County Circuit Court The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (“CHFS”) appealed an order granting custody of a minor child to Grandmother and Uncle of the minor child due to the family members lacking standing to pursue such custody order.  The Kentucky...Read More

J.L.R. v. A.L.A., et al. Madison Circuit Court On July 22, 2020, Grandparents of the Child in this matter initiated filed a “Verified Petition for Termination of Parental Rights and Adoption.” After conducting an evidentiary hearing, the family court entered a finding of facts and conclusion of law alongside a “Judgement of Termination of Parental...Read More

M.S.S. V. J.E.B., et al. Warren Circuit Court This decision concerns the biological Mother of the Child, born in January 2011. The Mother, suffering from substance use disorder, had a criminal history starting in 2009, that had her intermittently imprisoned from then to 2017. First cousin of the Mother, J.E.B., and his wife, D.J.B (Appellees),...Read More

D.H. v. Cabinet for Health and Family Services, et al. Kenton Family Court This decision focused on D.H. (father) and G.P. (mother), the parents of three children. Dating back to 2008, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (the “Cabinet”) had been involved in matters relating to both parties based on concerns of substance abuse...Read More

L.G.A. v. W.R.O., et al. & L.G.A. v. J.W.G.L., et al. Mason Circuit Court The Mother of two children, K.A.M.R. and K.N.R., filed petitions to involuntarily terminate the parental rights of each respective child’s father. Neither father had been involved in their child’s life for many years. Mother named the Cabinet for Health and Family Services...Read More

The Supreme Court of Kentucky held that service of the notice of appeal upon a child’s guardian ad litem is sufficient to provide adequate notice to the child and to confer jurisdiction over that child to an appellate court.Read More

J.S.B. v. S.R.V. Livingston Circuit Court Questions Presented: Child Custody. Issues involve attempted adoptions of two children to terminate their biological father’s rights (without terminating their mother’s parental rights) as well as the applicability and viability of the parental “waiver” decision of Mullins v. Picklesimer, 317 S.W.3d 569 (Ky. 2010). The issues decided by the...Read More

K.D.H. v. Com., Cabinet for Health & Fam. Servs. Spencer Circuit Court After the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (“the Cabinet”) petitioned to terminate Mother’s parental rights, Family Court held a hearing, ultimately terminating Mother’s parental rights. Mother appealed. The Court of Appeals held that there was no clear and convincing evidence that the...Read More

Termination of parental rights is the most serious matter that Kentucky family courts deal with.Read More