State settles feud with Floyd County attorney over child support payments

A legal dispute over who should collect child support payments in Floyd County has been resolved by giving the duty to the Madison County Attorney’s office, which is more than 100 miles away.

As of Tuesday, the office of Madison County Attorney Jud Patterson began administering child support enforcement services in Floyd County, according to State Income Support Commissioner Bryan Hubbard in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The change is the result of a lawsuit Floyd County Attorney Keith Bartley filed in late July in Franklin Circuit Court, claiming that the state’s decision to end its contract with him to collect child support payments was unlawful.

Hubbard said the suit has been settled by all parties.

On July 16, Hubbard sent a letter giving Bartley 30 days’ notice of the state’s intent to terminate his contract for child support enforcement services.

The state did not give Bartley a reason for the termination, only saying it is “occurring for the convenience of the Commonwealth.” Bartley, who has been county attorney in Floyd County for 22 years, said in his lawsuit that he has continuously administered the child support program with no major problems and has collected more than $70 million for the children of Floyd County.

The Associated Press reported Aug. 14 that the state sent a letter to Bartley telling him it ended the contract because Bartley’s behavior “left your office unable to perform the duties outlined in the contract.”

The letter, written by Commissioner Hubbard, said the problems in Bartley’s office began when he hired Stephanie Patton, a woman in Lexington he is dating and who worked remotely. Hubbard also said Bartley told his staff he wanted to “choke to death” a woman who works for the cabinet and said he would “burn down (Governor) Bevin’s f---ing house.”

Bartley’s attorney, Masten Childers III of Lexington, said the allegations were baseless. Childers did not return phone calls seeking comment about the lawsuit’s settlement and the changes in Floyd County’s child support program. It now serves about 3,100 clients.

The settlement, Hubbard said, also includes adding attorney Mike Fox of Carter County to the Floyd County child support office and rehiring two caseworkers in the program.

“Bartley will have no role in the program,” Hubbard said.

This story was originally published October 17, 2018 at 2:04 PM.