Sierra Nicole Thomas v. Meredith L.B. Podmajersky

── Sierra Nicole Thomas v. Meredith L.B. Podmajersky ── Court: Court of Appeals of Kentucky Date: May 08, 2026 Author: Taylor Category: General RENDERED: MAY 8, 2026; 10:00 A.M. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED Commonwealth of Kentucky Court of Appeals NO. 2024-CA-1408-MR S.N.T. APPELLANT APPEAL FROM KENTON FAMILY COURT v. HONORABLE THOMAS A. RAUF, JUDGE ACTION NO. 20-CI-01472 M.P. APPELLEE AND NO. 2025-CA-0233-ME S.N.T. APPELLANT APPEAL FROM KENTON FAMILY COURT v. HONORABLE THOMAS A. RAUF, JUDGE ACTION NO. 19-AD-00135 M.P. AND M.J.K.T. (A CHILD) APPELLEES  OPINION AFFIRMING ** ** ** ** ** BEFORE: CALDWELL, L. JONES, AND TAYLOR, JUDGES. TAYLOR, JUDGE: S.N.T. brings Appeal No. 2024-CA-1408-MR from Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Orders entered by the Kenton Family Court on October 18, 2024, dismissing her petition for visitation and brings Appeal No. 2025-CA-0233-ME from an Order Denying her motion to annul or vacate the adoption of her minor child entered February 19, 2025. For the reasons stated, we affirm both appeals. INTRODUCTION This case involves two appeals from separate actions in the Kenton Family Court, regarding the adoption of and visitation with the minor child, M.J.K.T. The cases have the same parties and overlapping issues. For judicial economy and expediency, the Court has considered the appeals together. In Appeal No. 2025-CA-0233-ME (Adoption appeal), S.N.T. is appealing the denial of her motion to annul or vacate the Judgment of Adoption entered on November 2, 2020. The adoption judgment was not appealed and the motion to annul or vacate was filed on November 26, 2024. In Appeal No. 2024-CA-1408-MR (Visitation appeal), S.N.T. is appealing the dismissal of her petition for visitation with M.J.K.T., filed in a -2- separate action from the adoption, on October 15, 2020. As noted, the order denying the petition was entered on October 18, 2024. BACKGROUND M.J.K.T. was born in July of 2016 to S.N.T., then an unmarried minor. Appellees, J.P., a cousin of S.N.T., and his wife, M.P., took physical custody of M.J.K.T. in August of 2018.1 They were awarded permanent custody as nonparental custodians by order entered May 1, 2019, in a dependency/neglect or abuse action (DNA) in Campbell County. (Campbell Family Court Case 16-J-361- 003). Adoption Record at 13-15. The Campbell Family Court found that as nonparents, J.P. and M.P. had standing to pursue custody due to having had physical custody since August of 2018. Additionally, S.N.T. agreed to their permanent custody. Adoption Record at 14. On September 6, 2019, J.P. and M.P. filed in Kenton Family Court, a joint petition for adoption and for involuntary termination of the parental rights of S.N.T. and the child’s biological father.2 (Kenton Family Court Case 19-AD- 00135). S.N.T. was appointed counsel who filed an answer asking the court to overrule the petition. The court held a virtual evidentiary hearing in the case, due to COVID-19 restrictions, on September 4, 2020, and October 9, 2020. J.P. and 1 J.P. passed away during the pendency of these proceedings. 2 The biological father did not appeal the termination of his parental rights. -3- M.P. appeared, represented by counsel, as did S.N.T., also represented by counsel. The biological father, who also had been appointed counsel by the court, was incarcerated in Ohio and attended the hearing by telephone.