Blog

Never Make Assumptions When it Comes to Paternity, Adoption, and Estate Planning By W. Steven Middleton   Many people enjoy a very close relationship with their stepparent or stepchild.  Sometimes this bond is just as strong as if the individuals were in fact parent and child biologically.  However, it is important to remember that for most legal purposes, a stepparent…Read More

By: W. Steven Middleton   Termination of parental rights is the most serious matter that Kentucky family courts deal with. These cases frequently involve the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and may occur after a child has been placed in foster care. Typically, the child’s parents were accused of child abuse or neglect in a family court case…Read More

By Troy Demuth: No one gets married to get a divorce, but unfortunately not all marriages last and sometimes a divorce may be necessary. We have all heard of the horrible divorces where the husband and wife fight about everything, the children are traumatized, and the attorneys’ fees are enormous. In other words, a complete disaster.   However, when many are…Read More

By Nicole Bearse, Goldberg Simpson's Domestic Group Partner in Frankfort, KY   It has long been the law of the Commonwealth of Kentucky that guardians of disabled adults can assist with many tasks, but filing a divorce case on the ward's behalf has not been one of those tasks. (A ward is the incapacitated / disabled person who has a…Read More

The Domestic Violence Intake Center (otherwise known as DVIC) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. It allows victims of domestic violence (whether married to the perpetrator or not) to file for civil emergency protective orders (EPOs) or interpersonal protective order (IPOs - for dating partners). Domestic violence can occur to males and females, husbands and wives,…Read More

In recent days Chief Judge Tara Hagerty of the Jefferson Family Courts in downtown Louisville issued a standing order that reads as follows: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that while the COVID-19 pandemic emergency protocols are in place, all attorneys must follow Jefferson Family Court orders to attend mediation by participating in remote mediation, using available technology, such as Skype or…Read More

The novel coronavirus has introduced some novel issues for family courts to address in 2020. Do parents have to exchange the children during this health emergency? With child care facilities largely closed, if one parent ends up caring for the child for more of the time during the day thereby incurring additional expenses feeding the child, helping with online schooling,…Read More

UPDATE: since this post was originally created in early April, the Kentucky Supreme Court has now extended restrictions to May 31, 2020. ————————- Talk to any experienced family court attorney, and most will likely tell you about the ability to count on one hand the number of times that family courts have closed for business in Kentucky. On occasion, major…Read More

Beginning today and for a limited number of Saturdays to follow, the Jefferson County Child Support Office will be open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The office is accepting appointments or walk-ins if you arrive before noon. Child support payments cannot be made at the payment window but can be made using the outside drop box. For…Read More

Effective May 2019, Key Law Group has merged with Goldberg Simpson. Goldberg Simpson is a leading local firm in the Kentuckiana area, and the addition of Key Law Group adds to the firm’s domestic relations and family law practice group. Sarah Huyck will be working out of the firm’s Norton Commons office. Justin Key will practice in Kentucky and also…Read More