Southern Charm star Kathryn Dennis has been awarded joint temporary custody of her two children with ex Thomas Ravenel after a lengthy court battle, with the decision being made after a hearing in South Carolina. According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, the judge named Ravenel as the children’s primary legal custodian, with Dennis awarded every other long weekend with a midweek overnight.
Dennis and Ravenel share daughter Kensie, 5, and son Saint, 3. Dennis originally lost her custody in 2016 due to her battle with substance abuse but regained her parental rights last year. Prior to the new ruling, she and Ravenel had joint physical custody on a “week on week off basis,” Ravenel’s attorney, Kelley Andrews-Edwards, said.
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Despite the joint legal custody, Andrews-Edwards said that Ravenel was awarded “primary decision-making authority, meaning that if the parties disagree about an important issue regarding the children, Mr. Ravenel makes the ultimate decision.”
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The two exes have been ordered to attend a minimum of three co-parenting sessions and work on their children’s health issues and education together. Dennis is also required to attend cognitive behavioral therapy, and her visits with her children will not be supervised.
A final custody ruling will be made by a judge at a future date.
Ravenel had previously requested that Dennis be stripped of custody of the children, according to court documents obtained by The Blast. The politician accused Dennis of failing a June drug test and claimed that “while in the possession of the children, Kathryn produced a urine test positive for marijuana, benzodiazepines and amphetamines.” He said that Dennis has prescriptions for benzodiazepines and amphetamines but is not allowed to use marijuana.
Dennis, “disputes the veracity of the June 14, 2019 urine tests because her hair test was negative,” but Ravenel clams that Dennis’ use of wigs and hair extensions as well as the fact that she colors hair make her hair tests unreliable. He admitted that she did produce a negative test after the positive test but that “the marijuana detected in the June 14, 2019 test could have been flushed out of her urine by that time.” He also accused Dennis of purchasing fake urine online in the past.
Dennis originally filed for primary custody in October after Ravenel was arrested for assault and battery in the second degree. He is awaiting trial on the charges and has denied them.
On Sunday, Dennis shared an Instagram photo of herself and her children enjoying the day together, with the Bravo star happily holding Kensie and Saint’s hands as the kids sported their Sunday best.
“first day at our new church. sassy kensie and little gentleman saint. #emerging,” she wrote.
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Photo Credit: Bravo
