Editor's Note: The Morehead Minute is committed to reporting news in a fair, accurate, and impartial manner. This article is provided solely to inform our readers of a legal filing involving former Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, a public figure from our community. Publication of this story should not be interpreted as support for or opposition to any individual, organization, political viewpoint, or legal position. The allegations described are contained in court filings, and the lawsuit remains pending. As with all legal matters, the claims have not been proven unless and until determined by a court of law.
MOREHEAD, Ky. — Former Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, whose refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples drew national attention more than a decade ago, is facing a new lawsuit alleging she improperly transferred inherited assets while a federal civil judgment against her remains unpaid.
According to the lawsuit, Davis still owes more than $565,000 stemming from the federal civil rights case brought by the couple she refused to issue a marriage license to. The total includes the original judgment, attorney fees, litigation expenses, and additional fees awarded after her appeal was unsuccessful.
The new legal action alleges Davis inherited approximately half of her late mother's estate, which reportedly totaled about $735,000 in assets. Court filings claim that after receiving her inheritance, Davis transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate and other property interests to her descendants.
The plaintiffs allege those transfers were made to prevent creditors from collecting on the outstanding judgment. They are asking the court to declare the transfers void and allow the assets to be recovered, or to award damages equal to the value of the transferred property needed to satisfy the judgment.
The lawsuit also claims Davis stated during post-judgment discovery that she owned no property, had not made certain qualifying asset transfers, and was not a beneficiary of any trust. The plaintiffs contend those statements failed to disclose the inheritance-related transfers.
According to the filing, the transfers were also made without authorization from Rowan District Court while the estate was being administered. The plaintiffs are requesting a full accounting of the estate's assets, receipts, and disbursements.
Davis, through her attorney, denies wrongdoing. Her attorney has argued that Davis did not make false statements, contending the discovery questions focused on property she currently owned or had an interest in, rather than property she may have owned previously. Her defense in the case has not yet been fully outlined in court filings.
The lawsuit remains pending, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
Editor's Note: Kim Davis served as Rowan County Clerk and became the focus of national attention in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the U.S. Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage. The civil judgment referenced in this lawsuit stems from that case.
Source: WKYT, citing court filings and reporting by the Lexington Herald-Leader.