Virginia residents who follow reality shows might have heard of the series that takes places in South Carolina called “Southern Charm,” and those who are unfamiliar could still be interested when wanting to know about family law issues as the latest drama surrounding two stars of the show involves a custody battle. Various media outlets are reporting that 54-year-old Thomas Ravenel is filing a suit regarding a custody agreement about his two children with 24-year-old Kathryn Dennis.
It seems that these parents do not have a court-ordered custody agreement in place and that Ravenel wants to go to court to obtain one so that he can see his children, a 2-year-old daughter and 7-month-old son, but Dennis claims that Ravenel has not made any recent financial contributions for their children. She also says that he has not seen them in nearly three months and that she is essentially a single parent as Ravenel is not involved in the children’s lives.
Ravenel claims that he has tried to work things out with Dennis but must go to court because of her uncooperative attitude. He reports that he pays $3,100 for Dennis’ rent and has offered her a larger settlement amount, and he also says that Dennis makes a six-figure income from their TV show.
While not all child custody cases are contentious, it is a good idea to have a custody agreement approved by a judge. A couple can work out an arrangement by themselves if able, but court approval makes the custody agreement binding and enforceable by law. This serves as protection if one party stops abiding by an agreement, and a formal document that includes details about custody also helps guide parents when raising children while divorced.