Family Law

If you want to move out of Kentucky with your child but do not have a custody order, you may be unsure whether you need the other parent’s permission or whether the move could affect your parental rights. The answer depends on your family circumstances, the child’s living arrangements, and whether the other parent disputes…

If you bought a house before getting married, you may assume it will remain yours if you divorce. In Kentucky, that is often the starting point, but the outcome can depend on what happened to the property during the marriage. Mortgage payments, renovations, and changes in the home’s value can all affect how much of…

When parents disagree about custody, a judge may need more information before deciding what arrangement will serve a child’s needs. In some Kentucky cases, the court can appoint a friend of the court to investigate the family’s circumstances and provide information to help with that decision. This role can be confusing, particularly when parents hear…

When parents separate or divorce, one of the first questions is often how much time each parent will spend with their child. Kentucky courts may establish a parenting-time or visitation schedule that sets out when the child stays with each parent, including weekends, holidays, school breaks, and other periods. There is no single visitation schedule…

When a parent stops communicating with a child or no longer provides care or support, it can raise serious concerns about abandonment. But under Kentucky law, a parent does not automatically abandon a child simply because they are absent or have limited contact. Kentucky addresses abandonment in several different legal contexts. It can be relevant…

If the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) opened a Child Protective Services (CPS) case involving your family but never filed anything in court, you may be wondering what that means. Does the case still exist? Can CPS come back? Will the investigation affect your custody case? The answer depends on what happened…

If you and your partner have lived together for years, share a home and finances, and consider yourselves a committed couple, you may wonder whether Kentucky considers you legally married. The short answer is no. Kentucky does not recognize common-law marriages formed within the state. This distinction can become important when couples separate, divide property,…

When a marriage is coming to an end, there are many decisions to make about finances, property, children, and the future. For many couples in Kentucky, one of the most useful tools during the divorce process is a separation agreement. But is one required, and should you have one? The answer depends on your circumstances….

There isn’t a more stressful situation than for a parent or caregiver to find out that Child Protective Services (CPS) is investigating their family. CPS investigations occurring in Boone County are typically handled by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS).  While it’s a challenging experience, learning about what a CPS investigation is like…