Latest news with #JeffersonFamilyCourt
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Adopted son of former KY governor wins right to intervene in his parents' divorce
Jonah Bevin, right, and one of his lawyers, Melina Hettiaratchi, listen during a court hearing in Louisville, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Michael Clevenger, Courier Journal, via press pool) A judge has rejected efforts by former Gov. Matt Bevin and his ex-wife Glenna Bevin to keep their divorce settlement confidential, ruling in favor of their adopted son Jonah Bevin, 18, who had asked it be public. The judge noted the high-profile divorce and Jonah's allegations of abuse and neglect by his parents already have attracted widespread media coverage and that Matt Bevin, though no longer governor, is a public figure. 'He once held the highest office in this state,' Jefferson Family Court Judge Angela Johnson's order said of the one-term Republican. 'Whether he knew it at the time he chose to run for office, in doing so he chose to become a public figure for life.' 'Concealing the allocation of assets,' her order said, 'could generate speculation about political grift or other unethical conduct.' The Courier Journal also had argued the settlement should be public, citing his role as a public figure and his advocacy of adoption. Matt Bevin, a business entrepreneur whose wealth was estimated in the millions when he ran for governor in 2015, and his wife have owned several houses, each valued at more than $1 million. Bevin ran on a campaign of improving foster care and adoption in Kentucky, often holding up his family as an example. The Bevins have five biological children, all adults, and four adopted children, all but one over 18. Jonah was adopted by the Bevins at age 5 from Ethiopia along with the three other children. The judge's order noted the Bevins claimed to have provided for all their children in the divorce settlement. Johnson, in a 22-page order released Friday, also granted Jonah's request to intervene in the divorce case — which he had sought to protect his interests and which the Bevins had opposed. While it might be unusual for a child to intervene in his parents' divorce, so is this case, the judge said. 'This court would be remiss if it did not recognize this case is profoundly unique, unlike any other divorce case proceeding heard in this Commonwealth,' the order said. As part of the case, Jonah has obtained protective orders against his parents, alleging they abandoned him at age 17 in a brutally abusive facility in Jamaica closed last year by child welfare authorities. Also, the judge rejected Glenna Bevin's request to soften the terms of a restraining order against her. Jonhson, in her order, said terms of the protective orders were worked out in a settlement and she will not allow Glenna Bevin 'to walk away from the agreement she made.' In all, the order ruled in Jonah's favor on all measures he had sought in the pending family court case. He has said in court he is living on his own and spent his 18th birthday in a homeless shelter in Utah after returning to the United States from Jamaica with no assistance from his parents. The Bevins did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dawn J. Post, a lawyer and child advocate helping represent Jonah, hailed the judge's order as 'one important step forward' in his effort to find justice and stability. She said it also helps Jonah in his effort to give voice to other children from failed adoptions who find themselves abandoned, often in abusive facilities. 'This decision not only gives Jonah the opportunity to be heard but to stand fully in his truth after years of abandonment,' Post said. Jonah also is represented by Louisville lawyers John H. Helmers and Melina Hettiarachi. A key portion of the judge's order dealt with Jonah's education and whether he has a valid high school degree, as Matt Bevin has claimed. That determination could affect the Bevins' further obligations to him, it said. Jonah's lawyers have alleged he was in and out of various out-of-state residential facilities since age 13 and received no meaningful education, calling a diploma he received last year through an online Christian school based in Florida a 'sham.' The judge's order notes that one of the obligations of parents under state law is to provide a child with adequate care, supervision, food, clothing, shelter and education. Matt Bevin argued that the Florida-based Veritas Mission Academy is an accredited school in Florida. But the judge's order found no reliable verification of that claim. 'As far as the court is aware, there is no reputable entity vouching for the educational standards at Veritas Mission Academy,' it said. Jonah told the Lantern in an interview earlier this year he struggles with learning disabilities that affect his ability to read and write. The judge said Jonah's appearance in court led her to question his level of education, noting in court proceedings 'Jonah appeared to struggle with the vocabulary and communications skills necessary to articulate his thoughts, feelings and experiences.' 'This leads the court to believe his high school education has not adequately prepared him to live his life as an independent adult,' Johnson's order said. The judge also addressed another question in the case — whether Jonah turned 18 last November. In a recent court hearing, Jonah's lawyers said adoption records they recently obtained showed a discrepancy, with one indicating he might be 17. The judge concluded he is 18, noting the discrepancy occurred in only one of several records the Bevins produced and was likely an error. Still, that doesn't lessen his potential claims, including support, the order said, adding. 'If the court decides Jonah is entitled to some form of child support, it has the authority to craft an appropriate solution.'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I'm a real person': Ex-governor's adopted son makes case for intervening in parents' divorce
Jonah Bevin, adoptive son of former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Glenna Bevin, speaks to attorney Dawn Post, left, in court in Louisville, March 21, 2025. (Photo by Michael Clevenger, Courier Journal, via press pool) LOUISVILLE — In advance of a hearing Monday afternoon over Jonah Bevin's effort to intervene in the divorce case of his adoptive parents, former Gov. Matt Bevin and his ex-wife Glenna, a flurry of motions offers sharply different claims about Jonah's care. The recent filings even raise questions about Jonah's age — whether he is 18, as he had believed, or just 17, because of a conflict in records that recently came to light. Matt Bevin, in filing Friday, said Jonah's claims of neglect, abandonment and abuse 'are not grounded in fact or law and are, instead, intended to garner media attention and outrage.' 'The truth is entirely different and it is heartbreaking to Matt to see his son caught up in this web,' it said, adding that 'Jonah is deeply loved by his entire family' and cites Matt Bevin's 'unshakable love and commitment for his son.' Glenna Bevin, in a separate filing, said she is 'very sad' about the contentious legal proceedings, adding 'she loves her son Jonah and wants only the best for him.' Both Matt and Glenna Bevin are subject to protective orders barring them from contact with Jonah, who sought the orders last month in Jefferson Family Court, alleging they attempted to send him on a hastily arranged trip to Ethiopia, supposedly to meet his birth mother, whom he believed was deceased. Dawn J. Post, a child advocate and lawyer representing Jonah, said she has not been able to find any evidence Jonah's birth mother is alive. Jonah, in a filing Monday, restates his allegations he was abandoned by the Bevins in Jamaica after child welfare authorities closed the Atlantis Youth Academy for abuse and neglect, removing residents and leaving him for a time in the custody of the Jamaican child welfare system. 'Where is the love my parents said they had for me because they didn't show it when they left and ignored me. Other parents came to get their kids,' he said in an affidavit. 'My parents either lied or left out the truth over and over. Because of that I've been on my own. I've been trying to speak up because nobody else has done it for me.' Jefferson Family Court Judge Angela Johnson has scheduled a hearing Monday afternoon to decide whether to permit Jonah to intervene in the Bevins' divorce case in order to prevent them from reaching a confidential settlement. The Courier Journal also is objecting to keeping such a settlement private, saying court records generally are open to the public. Meanwhile, Jonah has reported to the court his exact age is in dispute; recently obtained records show he may be only 17 instead of 18, as he previously believed. 'I feel that I am not real,' Jonah said in his affidavit. 'No one knows my real age.' A motion filed Friday by his lawyers says Jonah, who was one of four children adopted by the Bevins in 2012 from Ethiopia, said records the Bevins recently provided show conflicting birth dates. One of the records the Bevins provided shows Jonah's birth date as November 2006, which Jonah had thought was his true birth date, and the other, November 2007, the motion said. If Jonah is just 17, and still a minor, that could affect his pending case, said one of Jonah's lawyers, John Helmers Jr. Prior to the recent filings, court records have said the Bevins' five biological children are adults and that only one of the four adopted children is a minor. It makes Jonah's case for intervening in the Bevins' divorce stronger since the court has a greater responsibility toward minor children, Helmers said in an email. Matt Bevin's motion objecting to Jonah intervening in the divorce case dismissed the issue, saying that it was 'undisputed' the teen turned 18 in November 2024 and therefore is 'emancipated.' He and Glenna Bevin both ask, in separate motions, that Jonah's request to intervene as a party in their divorce case be denied. Jonah, in his affidavit, disagrees, saying his alleged abuse, neglect and abandonment deserve consideration. 'The court can't just let this go on like it didn't happen,' it said. 'I'm not just a name on paper. I'm a real person. What happened to me was real. Leaving me out of this case says it didn't happen.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Gov. Matt Bevin's divorce final though issues remain to be resolved
Then-Gov. Matt Bevin and his now estranged wife Glenna Bevin talk on KET in 2017 about their experiences with adoption. (Screenshot) Former Gov. Matt Bevin and his wife, Glenna, are now divorced. Jefferson Family Court Judge Angela Johnson entered an order Tuesday granting a 'limited decree of dissolution of marriage,' finalizing the divorce Glenna Bevin sought in 2023. The two-page order means all other issues pending in the divorce remain unresolved, including a proposed settlement the Bevins have asked to keep confidential. The Bevins did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The divorce order comes as the Bevins' adopted son Jonah Bevin is seeking to intervene in the case, asking to protect his interests. Now 18, Jonah alleges his parents abandoned him at age 17 in a brutally abusive youth facility in Jamaica. He said he now is living on his own with no support and few assets. Jonah also has obtained an emergency protective order against Matt Bevin, alleging he experienced abuse and neglect in the home. He is one of four children the Bevins adopted from Ethiopia; the couple also has five biological children. All but one are 18 or older. Also unresolved is whether the Bevins, who are wealthy and live in Anchorage, can keep confidential a divorce settlement they reached last month, involving property, finances and parental responsibilities. They have asked the judge to do so, asking it 'remain private and protected from public access and disclosure.' But on Tuesday, The Courier Journal filed a motion objecting to a confidential settlement, saying such court records are generally open in Kentucky and should remain so. The motion, filed by lawyer Michal Abate, also says that the Bevins, as former governor and first lady, are public figures and recent developments, including disclosure of alleged abandonment, abuse and neglect, merit public scrutiny. In particular, Jonah has filed a police report alleging child abandonment, which is a Class D felony in Kentucky, Abate's motion said. Keeping the Bevins' settlement public 'will shed light on these important matters of public concern and provide Kentuckians with vital information about the potential criminal activity of their former governor,' it said. The judge has not ruled on whether to allow the settlement to remain confidential. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Adopted son seeks to intervene in Bevins' divorce case to protect his interests
Jonah Bevin, who was 5 when Matt and Glenna Bevin adopted him in Ethiopia, is asking for a voice in the former governor's divorce case in Jefferson Family Court. (Photo provided) Jonah Bevin, the adopted son of former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and his wife, Glenna, has filed a legal action asking to intervene in their pending divorce case, which the couple told the court this week they are ready to settle. Now 18, Jonah — who alleges he was abandoned at age 17 by the Bevins at a brutally abusive youth facility in Jamaica — is asking for a voice in the divorce case in Jefferson Family Court he said could impact him. 'At present, no one who has Jonah's interest is involved in the litigation,' said the motion filed Wednesday by Louisville lawyers John Helmers Jr. and Melina Hettiaratchi. 'Jonah's best guess is that his parents never revealed their abuse and neglect of him to this court, including their failure to meet his basic needs and to provide a safe home and a complete education as required by law.' The Bevins did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dawn J. Post, a New York lawyer and child advocate also representing Jonah, said he has been 'denied the basic support and recognition owed to him' and seeks to ensure some provision is made for his welfare as part of the divorce settlement the couple has asked the court to keep confidential. Matt Bevin is a business entrepreneur whose wealth was estimated in millions of dollars when he ran for governor in 2015. Glenna Bevin does not work outside the home, according to court records. The couple has owned several homes in Louisville, each valued at more than $1 million, according to property tax records. Post said Jonah should be considered in any settlement. 'While they attempt to divide their assets, Jonah has been left to fend for himself in abusive programs and was abandoned in Jamaica during the pendency of the divorce when he was a minor under the court's jurisdiction,' she said. 'No parent should be allowed to abandon their child without consequence,' Post added. Jonah's motion is the latest twist in a flurry of legal activity since he went public about his experiences in a Feb. 28 story in the Kentucky Lantern. On March 7, Jonah — who has been living on his own since he turned 18 — obtained an emergency protective order against Matt Bevin, alleging he experienced neglect, physical abuse and threats after he was adopted at age 5 by the couple. He said he was first sent to a series of out-of-state residential facilities at age 13. After he returned from Jamaica, he was placed in a residential facility until he turned 18 last year. Since then, Jonah said he has been living out of state, with no permanent home, working part-time construction jobs to support himself He also has filed a report with Louisville Metro Police, alleging the Bevins abandoned him at age 17 at the facility closed last year by Jamaican authorities. The Bevins declined to respond to authorities seeking to return him to the United States, he said. Jonah is one of four children adopted from Ethiopia by the Bevins, who as governor and first lady, promoted adoption and child welfare as their priorities. The couple also have five biological children; all but one are adults. Matt Bevin, a one-term Republican governor and conservative Christian, campaigned on reforming the state's adoption and foster care system, which he said obstructed the Bevins' effort to adopt a child in Kentucky, prompting them to adopt from overseas. Jonah's motion filed Wednesday alleges that the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which investigates child abuse and neglect, currently is conducting 'an active' investigation involving child welfare. As a candidate for governor, Bevin, in a 2015 interview, denounced the cabinet as a 'convoluted, backward broken machine' and blamed one of its employees — 'someone with a clipboard and a notebook'— for rejecting the Bevins as adoptive parents because they already had five children. Jonah's motion follows the Bevins' report to the court on March 11 that they had reached a 'marital settlement agreement' in the divorce action initiated by Glenna Bevin in May 2023 and asking that the court keep it confidential. 'Allowing the media and public to access the parties' personal financial information and terms of settlement would be contrary to this goal and detrimental to the Bevin family,' it said. Further, making the settlement public 'would only serve idle curiosity and gossip and not legitimate public interest.' But Jonah's pleading argues that he should be allowed to intervene in the case and have access to the information to protect his interests as well as those of a minor child still with the Bevins. 'The current parties, Jonah's parents, have repeatedly shown they have little interest in protecting him and his rights to a safe home and a complete education,' it said. 'In fact, their interests may be diametrically opposed to Jonah's.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Gov. Matt Bevin and wife reach divorce settlement, ask judge to keep it secret
Then-Gov. Matt Bevin speaks during the National Rifle Association Convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center on May 20, 2016 in Louisville. (Photo by) Saying they 'need closure,' former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and his wife, Glenna, have asked a judge to keep confidential their proposed divorce settlement — making that request to the same judge who in June ordered the divorce case unsealed and open to the public. The Bevins' joint motion filed Tuesday comes nearly two years after Glenna Bevin filed for divorce in May 2023. And it comes amid public attention to their treatment of their adopted son, Jonah Bevin, who alleges they abandoned him at 17 in a brutally abusive youth facility in Jamaica. Jonah, now 18, last week obtained an emergency protective order against Matt Bevin, arguing he was abused and neglected after the couple adopted him at age 5 from Ethiopia, culminating in his abandonment at the Jamaica facility closed last year by child welfare authorities. He also has filed a report with Louisville Metro Police alleging child abandonment by the Bevins. 'I don't have anybody': Adoptive teen son of a KY governor talks about life on his own He was one of four children adopted from Ethiopia in 2012 by Matt and Glenna Bevin, who as governor and first lady made adoption and child welfare among their top priorities during his term from late 2015 to 2019. They also have five biological children — all are adults except for one. The temporary protective order for Jonah was granted by Jefferson Family Court Judge Angela Johnson, the same judge overseeing the Bevins' divorce case. It bars Matt Bevin from contacting or coming within 500 feet of Jonah pending a hearing March 19. The Bevins did not respond to requests for comment. In their joint motion, Matt and Glenna Bevin said they have reached a 'marital settlement agreement' regarding property, finances, parenting and custody of their minor child, 15. Matt Bevin, a one-term Republican governor, and wealthy business entrepreneur, is described in court filings as 'self-employed' and Glenna Bevin as 'not employed outside of the house.' The Bevins, in their motion, argue that their divorce case already garnered 'extensive media attention' and ask the court to keep their agreement secret 'to ensure their negotiated settlement terms, both financial and child-related, remain private and protected from public access and disclosure.' It adds: 'The parties and their family need closure from this matter and to be able to move forward without additional public scrutiny or opinion.' 'Allowing the media and public to access the parties' personal financial information and terms of settlement would be contrary to this goal and detrimental to the Bevin family. Further, allowing such access would only serve idle curiosity and gossip and not legitimate public interest.' They ask that the judge either review their divorce settlement privately or allow it to be filed in the court record under seal. The case attracted media attention in 2023 when Glenna Bevin first filed for divorce and again in 2024 when she sought an order from the court to restrict Matt Bevin from showing up unannounced at her home in Anchorage and refusing to leave. Though the couple were separated and had separate homes in Anchorage, an affluent enclave east of Louisville, Matt Bevin persisted in coming to her home, attempting to discuss the pending divorce with her, Glenna Bevin's court filing said. 'When I try to disengage, he follows me from room to room and even into the bathroom or my bedroom, disrespecting my privacy; to me, his conduct is aggressive and unsettling,' her filing said. The judge entered an order limiting Matt Bevin's access to the home and directing the two to communicate through a parenting app about visits to their children. After that, the Bevins' asked that the file be sealed and the court agreed. But Johnson, the judge, agreed to unseal the case and reopen the records to the public after The Courier Journal appealed, arguing such court proceedings should be open to the public. In a June 2024 order Johnson, found that in general, such court cases should remain open to the public with possible exceptions for sensitive medical or other personal information. Since then, no further pleadings have been filed by the Bevins until Tuesday, when they filed the notice with the court they had reached a divorce settlement, asking that it be kept private. Johnson is scheduled to hear the Bevins' request to keep their settlement private on March 17. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
