Judge proposes near‑equal timeshare in Riddle‑Collins child‑custody dispute, flags Medicaid coverage issue

In a contested custody modification, the Cumberland County judge reviewed a video interview of the 15‑year‑old child and heard argument about shifting to an equal timeshare. The child told the court he preferred the status quo and expressed comfort where he currently lives; the judge described the child as "very articulate" and sensitive about not hurting anyone's feelings.

Counsel raised a practical concern: if the child spends a greater percentage of time in Tennessee, the child's Kentucky Medicaid coverage and access to local providers could be affected. The judge suggested a nearly equal split in parental time (50/50, or 51/49) while instructing the parties to preserve the child's contact with his father by video and to ensure the child can attend preplanned events (the WKU expo and Kentucky State Fair FFA events). The court asked counsel to draft an order reflecting those protections and agreed to revisit custody if the father's incarceration status or community reintegration changed.