Former KY Gov. Matt Bevin faces jail time, fine after being found in contempt
Former Gov. Matt Bevin faces a 60-day jail sentence or a $500 fine after a Jefferson County household court docket choose selected penalties for him March 24 after he was previously found in contempt of court for violating an order in his ongoing divorce case.
Bevin didn’t seem in-person for the March 24 listening to as a result of he had attended a relative’s funeral in Oklahoma the day earlier than, he stated, and was not but in Kentucky when he stopped to seem on Zoom. Bevin additionally appeared on Zoom throughout a contempt listening to March 20. After the earlier listening to, Judge Angela Johnson ordered Bevin to file monetary paperwork, together with state and federal tax returns and financial institution statements, by 10 a.m. March 24 in order to have potential penalties in opposition to him waived.
Johnson stated in court docket she would subject a warrant for Bevin’s arrest, however stated that if Bevin supplies the wanted documentation, he could be assessed a $500 fine as a substitute. It is unclear when Bevin might be again in Kentucky following the out-of-state funeral.
The sentencing determination comes after Johnson dominated Bevin had not acted “in good faith” when he was ordered to supply “complete and unredacted” monetary info pertaining to his adopted son Jonah Bevin’s request for retroactive baby help. Jonah Bevin intervenes in his dad and mom’ divorce case in an try to obtain fee for time he spent in his teen years at academies for “troubled teens,” one in every of which in Jamaica was raided by police over abuse allegations.
Matt Bevin stated in court docket he “had already provided all disclosures and documents about his personal income” and that the rest “would not have been German” to the court docket.
Johnson stated she had requested Matt Bevin to supply full monetary information “more than once” relationship again to 2025.
“I can’t treat you any different from anyone else,” she stated.
Jesse Mudd, Matt Bevin’s counsel who someday earlier had filed a movement to recuse Johnson from the case, objected to Johnson’s sentencing determination and stated in court docket he would search an opinion on the matter from the Kentucky Supreme Court. Mudd declined to remark to reporters following the listening to.
Prior to issuing her sentencing determination, Johnson denied Mudd’s movement to recuse, saying it had not been filed appropriately. She additionally stated she sought counsel from the Kentucky Supreme Court concerning the movement to recuse and determined it was greatest to maneuver ahead with the March 24 listening to.
A March 27 listening to over the kid help matter will stay as scheduled, except the Kentucky Supreme Court deems it ought to be postponed, Johnson stated.
Following the March 24 proceedings, Melina Hettiaratchi, an legal professional for Jonah Bevin, informed reporters she thought Johnson exercised restraint in her ruling and will have issued a better fine and an extended sentence since Bevin was not bodily current.
“Instead, she gave him his day in court,” she stated.
Attorneys for Jonah Bevin argued March 20 the previous governor had failed to supply further paperwork, together with his most up-to-date state and federal tax returns, together with checking account statements and different monetary disclosures, that might be related for the March 27 trial to find out what reduction the younger man might be entitled to.
The monetary disclosure statements Matt Bevin initially turned over had been considerably redacted, The Courier Journal beforehand reported. He then filed the paperwork once more with solely his dwelling handle blacked out.
Background: Ex-Gov. Matt Bevin held in contempt of court amid child support push
At subject in the combat for baby help is the diploma Jonah Bevin obtained from a Florida boarding college, which his attorneys have stated might not be official.
Glenna Bevin, the previous governor’s ex-wife, is a celebration in the case, however her adoptive son’s attorneys didn’t search to carry her in contempt. Attorney John Helmers beforehand stated she had not finished something to “directly impact our ability to move forward with the case.”
Glenna Bevin filed for divorce in 2023saying her marriage to Matt Bevin was “irretrievably broken.” The divorce was finalized in 2025, however Jonah Bevin moved to intervene in the case final spring.
This story has been up to date to right a typo.
Lucas Aulbach contributed. Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, previously referred to as Twitter
This article initially appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Matt Bevin faces jail time, fine after being found in contempt
