UPDATE: June 5 at 2:45 p.m.
A Jefferson Circuit Court judge Friday denied former Kentucky Governor Matthew Bevin's last-minute emergency motion for more time to turn over financial documents and ordered his arrest after he missed a court-ordered noon deadline Friday.
In her order, Judge Johnson said Bevin filed his emergency motion requesting a stay minutes before the noon deadline on June 5, and found the motion to be untimely.
"He was aware of the deadline on May 29 and waited until the deadline had arrived to inform the Court he did not intend to comply in a timely manner," the order said.
The court said it first advised the parties in May 2025 that they would be obligated to exchange financial documents. In February 2026, both Matt and Glenna were instructed three separate times, by the circuit court and the Court of Appeals, to exchange those documents. In March 2026, they were given another opportunity to comply under a short deadline.
The court said the matter was then paused for an additional two months while Matt sought to remove the case from the court, giving him additional time to compile the necessary records. At his sentencing date on May 29 he was given a final chance to comply within one week.
In his motion, Bevin requested "a reasonable time period to complete the production of documents." The court rejected that request.
Judge Johnson wrote that the court has the authority "to insist upon respect for its processes and compliance with its rulings and judgments." She added that Bevin, "as the perpetrator of civil contempt, holds the keys to his own jail cell. By consistently refusing to comply with Orders that he produce documents after having multiple chances to comply, he has locked the door behind himself."
Separately, Judge Johnson issued an order of arrest commanding all peace officers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to arrest Bevin and bring him before the court.
Original Story:
Jefferson County Civil District Circuit, Family Court Judge Angela Johnson both issued and recalled a bench warrant against former Gov. Matt Bevin for failure to appear in court on Friday. This issued bench warrant marks the second warrant Johnson has issued against Bevin in 2026, as the first was issued on March 27.
The warrant was issued against Bevin after he appeared in a court hearing on Friday via Zoom, when he was previously asked to appear in court in person. As video from the hearing revealed, Bevin claimed he failed to appear in person due to ongoing property damage at his home.
"I told you to be here. We told you multiple times to be here and reminded you to be here on Wednesday. Now based on what I've glanced at, you have the means to get a flight here. Property damage is not a sufficient excuse," Johnson told Bevin in court.
The penalty for failure to appear in court is 14 days served in jail or a fine of $250. The bench warrant has since been recalled by Johnson, according to Jefferson County Family Court documents.
The hearing was scheduled as a part of an ongoing dissolution of marriage case between Bevin and his ex-wife, Glenna Bevins, over their son, Jonah Bevin, assigned to Judge Johnson.
In March, Bevin's attorneys claimed that Johnson should be removed from the case, stating she could not provide him a fair trial as she appeared to be motivated by bias against him. According to a court order filed in April, Johnson denied Bevin's request to disqualify herself from the case.
Aside from the bench warrant, also filed in court on Friday was a respondent's notice of production against Bevin requesting evidence and records for attorneys to counsel Jonah. Such requested documents included Bevin's checking account statements, Bevin's 2026 salary statement, and the marital settlement agreement filed between Glenna and Bevins.
Bevin is next scheduled to appear in court on July 28 at 9 a.m. in Jefferson County Family Court, according to documents.
See LEX News' previous coverage of this story below:
Judge involved in Matt Bevin's child support case declines to recuse herself
Covering Kentucky
Judge involved in Matt Bevin's child support case will not recuse herself
Court of Appeals recalls arrest warrant for former Kentucky governor Matt Bevin
Covering Kentucky
Court of Appeals recalls arrest warrant for former Kentucky governor Matt Bevin
Adopted son of former KY Governor Matt Bevin says Bevin wanted him to 'disappear'
Covering Kentucky
