Barnett v. Wiley

Opinion of the Court by

Justice JOHNSTONE.

The sole issue raised in this appeal is whether Appellant, Charles Barnett, and Appellee, Laura Wiley, were an “unmarried couple” within the meaning of KRS 408.720, so that Wiley could obtain a Domestic Violence Order (“DVO”) against Barnett. We hold that they were not an “unmarried couple,” as defined in KRS 403.720(3) and, therefore, we reverse the Court of Appeals.

On February 21, 2000, Wiley petitioned the Franklin Circuit Court to enter a DVO against Barnett. In the petition, she alleged that Barnett approached her car, banged on the window,…