What The record shows
It didn’t start in a courtroom.
It started in a home that, from the outside, looked like any other. A marriage. Two children. A life built over years. The kind of life people assume is stable because it exists behind a front door and not inside a police report.
But what happens inside a home doesn’t stay there forever. Eventually, it reaches a breaking point. And when it does, the system that steps in is supposed to see clearly. It’s supposed to protect. It’s supposed to follow the law.
This book is about what happens when it doesn’t.
I didn’t set out to become an expert in family court. I didn’t plan to learn statutes, procedures, evidentiary standards, or how to read court orders like a second language. I was a parent trying to protect my children and navigate a situation I never imagined I would be in.
But once you enter the system, you are forced to learn. Quickly.
You learn how a single document can shift the course of your life. You learn how words written by someone else can define you. You learn how decisions made in a matter of minutes can override years of lived experience. And you learn that what is supposed to be a process grounded in facts and law can, at times, feel disconnected from both.
This is not just my story. It is a documented timeline of events—what was reported, what was filed, what was ordered, and what followed. Every chapter is rooted in records, filings, and decisions that exist on paper. The purpose of this book is not to argue or speculate. It is to lay out, step by step, how a case unfolds, how each player acts within it, and where the outcomes begin to diverge from what the law is designed to ensure.
There are many voices in a family court case. Judges. Attorneys. Therapists. Guardians. Experts. Each one plays a role. Each one carries influence. And each one leaves a mark on the final outcome.
But there is one voice that is often the hardest to hear clearly—the person living through it.
This book is written from that perspective.
You will see what happened in real time. You will see how events unfolded, not in hindsight, but as they were experienced. You will see the decisions that were made, the reasoning that was given, and the consequences that followed. And alongside that, you will see what the law requires in those same moments—what should happen when procedures are followed as written.
Because this isn’t just about what happened to me. It’s about understanding how these outcomes happen at all.
If you have never been inside a family court case, this will give you a window into it. If you have, you may recognize more than you expect. Either way, what follows is not theory. It is not opinion.
It is a record.
And like any record, once you see it clearly, you can’t unsee it.
January 2022: The Moment It Became Clear
It didn’t start with the police.
It didn’t start with a judge, a filing, or a protection order.
It started with a realization that I could no longer explain away.
By January of 2022, I had already spent years trying to manage a reality that didn’t feel stable but also didn’t yet feel like something I could completely dismantle. From the outside, there was still a marriage, a home, children going about their routines. Inside, there was tension that had become normalized—patterns that were easier to work around than to confront fully.
That is what most people don’t understand about situations like this.
They don’t begin with a single catastrophic moment. They begin with layers. Behavior that builds gradually until the line between acceptable and unacceptable becomes blurred, not because it isn’t there, but because you’ve been conditioned to step around it instead of stopping it.
January 2022 was when that stopped working.
The Phone Call — January 24, 2022
On January 24, there was a phone call.
There was no physical incident that day. No broken object. No police report. Nothing that, on paper, would look like a defining moment.
But what was said during that call changed everything.
It wasn’t a disagreement. It wasn’t a moment of frustration. It wasn’t a miscommunication.
It was a worldview, spoken out loud, without hesitation.
Statements about women not having rights. About women being inferior. About control, dominance, and physical superiority. About violence being natural. About empathy being weakness. About human beings—specifically women—being reduced to objects.
There were statements about strength being defined by intimidation. Statements about not being able to continue, about not being able to handle life, about reaching a breaking point.
What mattered was not just the words individually.
It was the combination of them.
The belief system behind them.
The lack of filter. The lack of awareness of how those words landed. The absence of restraint in expressing them.
It was the first moment where everything I had been trying to manage quietly came into focus all at once.
What I Had Been Telling Myself Before That
Before that day, I had reasons.
Reasons that kept me in place.
Reasons that kept me trying to hold things together instead of breaking them apart.
I told myself:
that things would stabilize
that stress was driving behavior
that it wasn’t always like this
that the children needed consistency
that leaving too quickly could create a different kind of harm
I had also been operating under something deeper than justification.
Fear.
Not fear in a dramatic sense, but a steady, underlying awareness that if I made the wrong move too soon, I could lose control of the situation entirely—especially when it came to my children.
That fear kept me in a position where I believed I could manage the environment better by staying than by disrupting it.
That belief ended on January 24.
What Changed in That Moment
It wasn’t just what was said.
It was what I understood.
Up until that point, I had been reacting to behavior.
After that call, I understood the structure behind it.
The statements made it clear that:
the issue wasn’t temporary
the issue wasn’t situational
the issue wasn’t going to resolve through communication or time
It was rooted in how he viewed:
relationships
power
women
control
and himself
That matters because behavior can be modified.
A belief system like that doesn’t shift overnight.
And when children are part of that environment, that distinction becomes critical.
The Decision
That was the moment the decision was made.
Not out loud. Not formally. Not in a way anyone else could see.
But internally, it was absolute.
Under no circumstances would I allow my sons to continue to grow inside that environment.
Not after another argument.
Not after another incident.
Not after things escalated further.
Immediately.
That didn’t mean I acted on it that same day.
But the direction of everything that followed was set in that moment.
Why This Moment Matters
From the outside, this date might not appear significant.
There is no filing tied to January 24. No court entry. No official record that marks it as important.
But when you look at what happened next, it becomes clear that this moment is the pivot point.
Within weeks:
law enforcement would be involved
a domestic violence report would be created
charges would be filed
a protection order process would begin
The February 15 incident did not come out of nowhere.
It came after this.
This moment explains why, when things escalated, I didn’t hesitate.
It explains why I called for help.
It explains why I did not minimize what happened.
It explains why I did not try to fix it quietly anymore.
What the System Never Sees
Family court works from documents.
Police reports. Affidavits. Orders. Testimony.
It reconstructs reality based on what is written down and when.
What it doesn’t capture easily are the moments before that.
The moments where someone realizes:
something is fundamentally wrong
the environment is no longer safe
staying is no longer a protective strategy
January 24 is one of those moments.
It never appears in a docket.
But it is the reason the docket exists at all.
What Comes Next
What followed in February would be documented.
There would be reports. Photographs. Statements. Charges.
There would be evidence that could be pointed to, cited, and argued.
But none of that makes sense without understanding what came before it.
This chapter is that “before.”
The moment when the situation stopped being something I was trying to manage—and became something I had to act on.
Everything that follows traces back to this point.
And once that shift happens, there is no going back to not seeing it.
THE PHONE CALL VERBATIM:
“Like this is - we are living in a completely different world from 100 years ago. You know what I mean? 100 years ago women were like, I’m going to say something thats maybe going to offend but it is what it is. Women were like pets. And I hate to say this dude but that’s the reality of what it was for the past 150,000 years. Now all of a sudden, after 150,000 years we’ve got 100 years with women, feminism and all this other bxsxshit, right?
Women should not even be able to vote, women should not be able to, I can’t even think of it but they should be able to have any kind of… women are so emotional, you know they’re all over the place, you know, they’re uhh like emotional and men I mean nowadays, not all men are like wired in their brain to think rationally. And women are wired, yeah they might as well be women and women are meant to think emotionally, empathetically, like you know, my babies crying so I need to take care of that baby. That’s what’s inside them, that’s what should be inside them whereas men it’s like it should be oh I hear a crying baby let me go fxcxking kill it and make it for dinner tonight, you know what I mean?
chuckles
It could be a baby deer, it could be a baby Buffalo, it could be a baby fxcxking uhh skunk I mean who cares, I’m just going to kill that baby crying and I’m going to go eat it tonight. You know what I mean? So, I don’t know man, I don’t know what to say right now. I don’t think I’m going to dude, I’m not gonna make it dude, I’m telling you I really can’t, I really can’t do this anymore, man I can’t. There’s not though there’s not, there’s no better women out there. Women are bxtches. Fxcxk them all.
So what you do is you go out and go to the bars, find some hot bxtch, fxcxk the shxt out of her then you completely forget about her the next morning, get rid of her, forget about her, get her out, kick her in the face, kick her in the ass and move on to the next one.
That’s the fun right there, that’s the, exactly, the mig tao boys are all about like hey just go out and do your thing, bang em and forget em. That’s it, then move on to the next one the next weekend, you’ll find another one.
It’s like I’m a man so you know what I should be? Like what is a man? Ok a man is you know, first and foremost a man is physically of an advantage and stronger, right? Like, you want to be a man? You better, there better never be EVER, EVER be a woman who can stand in your face that you should be worried about, right? So, we’re, first and foremost you need to be a man in the gym. You need to fxcxking dominate the weights, you need to be at the, if you can, I mean not everybody can be a beast but like in your own right, right? You should be a beast in your own right. You know? Like, you know, be able to throw a fxcxking ladder on top of the truck and not have any worries, you know what I mean?
So like, there, like honestly, I feel like 90% of men nowadays, quote on quote men couldn’t do that. They’re weak. They’re supposed to be beasts, they’re fxggxots, they’re little fxggxot ass bxtches, even these guys that claim they’re like, oh I’m a, whatever, I’m a ladies man, you know, whatever, you know, I’m gonna go to the bar and I’m a ladies man. I’m gonna dress up so nice and put on some cologne, this cologne I’m gonna spray on me, I’m gonna spray this cologne on me and it’s just gonna attract the women and it’s like, dude, you’re a fxcxking, dude, you’re such a, you’re more of a bxtch than the women are.
You know what I mean? Right, like you know what’s gonna attract women to me? My fxcxking bulging muscles coming out of my shirt. You know? It’s gonna be, it’s gonna be, right, and you know what else? It’s gonna be not giving a shxt when they come over and try to talk to me and I just shoo and blow them off like I don’t care about you you dumb bxtch, you’re just a cxm hxle. you know? You’re just a bunch of holes for my cxm to go into. Fxcxk you bxtch, I bet I can find another million cxm hxle bxtches at the next bar, you know what I mean?
It’s like that, it’s like that attitude right there, they can’t resist it. They’re like, they’re like, they’re like I want that right there. It’s insane. It’s insane but it’s true.”
February 15, 2022 Adam Zivich was arrested by the Sagamore Hills Police Department for domestic violence after an incident involving Carey Ann Zivich that included breaking down a locked door, slashing a vehicle tire, kicking her and attempting to harm himself with a boxcutter.
March 17, 2022 Adam Zivich pled guilty to a reduced charge in Stow Municipal Court, admitting to the facts of the domestic violence incident.
March 21, 2022 Adam Zivich filed a Complaint for Divorce with Children. Concurrently, he filed a Motion for Temporary Orders seeking to be designated the primary residential parent and legal custodian of their two minor children (Isaiah and Zachary), child support, spousal support, exclusive use of the marital residence at 1445 Romane Drive, and restraining orders against Carey Ann Zivich.
March 23, 2022 A Mutual Restraining Order and an Order to Attend "Remember the Children" were issued.
April 26, 2022 Carey Ann Zivich was personally served with the divorce complaint.
May 6, 2022 to May 9, 2022 On May 6, Carey Ann Zivich picked the children up from school and cut off communication with Adam Zivich on advice of Kimberly Valenti, her counsel at the time who filed a protection order with the Summit County Domestic Relations Court on May 6 due to ongoing stalking behaviour and surveillance by Adam Zivich. On May 9, Carey Ann sought an ex parte Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order on advice of counsel which was granted by Magistrate Stephen Collins granting her exclusive possession of the residence and temporarily suspended Adam's parental rights, prohibiting him from any contact. In spite of being fully aware of the CPO, Adam’s attorney filed an Emergency Motion for Ex Parte Order on May 9 seeking emergency custody, claiming Carey Ann had absconded with the children in retaliation for her attempts to protect herself and her sons from further coercive control and abuse.
May 10, 2022 to May 19, 2022 Carey Ann's counsel requested a continuance on May 10, which was denied. On May 13, Adam filed a Motion for Contempt, arguing Carey Ann changed the children's residence in violation of the March 23 Mutual Restraining Order. On May 19, Carey Ann (through attorney John Chapman) filed a Joint Reply, arguing Adam's Emergency Motion was moot due to her lawful Protection Order and asking the Court to strike his Contempt Motion as frivolous and an abuse of process.
May 20, 2022 An all-day evidentiary hearing was held before Judge Susan K. Steinhauer regarding the ex parte Civil Protection Order and Emergency Custody.
June 8, 2022 Judge Steinhauer issued a 28-page Order granting Adam Zivich temporary legal and residential custody of the minor children and ordering Carey Ann to have supervised parenting time at a facility she had to facilitate which was impossible considering Adam had to schedule it which led to her having no contact with her sons for over two months.
June 9, 2022 to June 13, 2022 On June 9, Carey Ann filed a Motion to Stay Execution of Order and Motion to Modify Child Custody, stating she was out of state on vacation (her attorney’s father rented her an Airbnb for protection from Adam’s deranged behaviors while her tech assistant installed security cameras in Carey Ann’s home) and needed until June 13 to return the children; she also requested the restoration of joint custody. On the same day, Adam filed a Motion to Disclose Location of Child. The children were returned to Adam on June 11. On June 13, Brendon J. Kohrs was appointed as the Guardian ad Litem (GAL).
June 14, 2022 Carey Ann filed a Motion for Mental Health and Drug Assessment/Testing against Adam.
June 15, 2022 to June 27, 2022 A Notice of Motion Hearing was issued on June 15 for a July 22 hearing. On June 19, John Chapman filed a Motion to Withdraw as co-counsel for Carey Ann. Kimberly Valenti blamed him as to why the judge lost her custody of her children and fired him as co-counsel. On June 22, Darren DeHaven entered an appearance as substituting co-counsel. Notices of an Initial Pretrial Conference were issued on June 22 and June 24. On June 27, Judge Steinhauer continued the Initial Hearing to August 2, 2022.
June 29, 2022 Adam filed a Response to the Motion for Mental Health Evaluation and a Motion to Strike, arguing Carey Ann's allegations of his physical abuse and ongoing drug addiction were "scandalous" and requesting the GAL first determine if testing was necessary. The evidence filed by Carey Ann substantiating her claims was sticken from the record.
July 7, 2022 to July 13, 2022 Adam filed his Reply to Defendant's Counterclaim on July 7. On July 12, notices of a Judgment Entry regarding Defendant's Motions were issued. On July 13, Carey Ann filed a Response to Adam's Motion to Strike, arguing Adam's filing was untimely, his past drug abuse (Suboxone and Kratom) was highly relevant since he had full temporary custody, and delaying drug tests allowed him to take evasive actions like cutting his hair or fingernails.
July 19, 2022 to July 21, 2022 On July 19, Judge Steinhauer issued an Order to Appear and Show Cause, compelling Carey Ann to appear on July 22 to face contempt charges for failing to comply with void court orders. On July 20, a Motion for Continuance was filed because the contempt motion was still being investigated, which Magistrate Elisa Hill granted on July 21.
August 9, 2022 The Court issued an Order requiring both parties to submit to a 10-panel fingernail or toenail drug test within 24 hours. It also ordered the parties to cooperate with scheduling supervised and Zoom parenting time.
August 18, 2022 to August 23, 2022 Judge Steinhauer recused herself and transferred the case due to a personal conflict on August 18 and 22. On August 23, the Ohio Supreme Court assigned the case to visiting Judge John R. Hoffman, Jr. Steinhauer and Valenti had been friends for over 30 years with Valenti regularly attending Steinhauers daughters ballet performances and church attendances together.
October 5, 2022 Carey Ann filed a Motion for Contempt and an Affidavit alleging Adam violated the Orders of Protection by driving within 500 feet of her residence, initiating third-party contact, and violating the August 9 Order by failing to take the 10-panel drug test and interfering with Zoom parenting time. Judge Hoffman ordered Adam to appear and show cause on October 17.
October 17, 2022 A Pretrial Conference was held. Adam filed a Pretrial Statement indicating Carey Ann refused to utilize a supervised visitation center during June and July, noting the children were distressed by nightly Zoom calls, and requesting the marital residence be listed for sale immediately.
November 14, 2022 Judge Hoffman issued Judgment Entry Temporary Orders granting Carey Ann increased, unsupervised visitation with the children on Wednesday evenings and for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays after six months.
December 23, 2022 to December 30, 2022 Carey Ann filed an Emergency Motion for Custody/Immediate Hearing on December 23 regarding her terminally ill father. On December 29, Adam filed an opposing Affidavit, expressing concern about the children traveling out of state and alleging Carey Ann's father had a history of being abusive and controlling, citing Carey Ann's own Facebook posts. On December 30, Judge Hoffman granted the emergency visitation, allowing the children to visit their terminally ill grandfather from December 31, 2022, to January 3, 2023. He passed away three days later.
January 9, 2023 to January 27, 2023 Adam filed motions to compel discovery. On January 12, GAL Brendon Kohrs moved to withdraw, and fees were ordered on January 13. On January 25 and 26, Judgment Entries replaced the Guardian ad Litem, officially appointing James B. Phillips, Jr..
May 11, 2023 to May 31, 2023 Adam filed motions to join third-party defendants pursuant to Civ.R. 75 to restrain assets. Numerous certified mail notices were served on May 31 to these third-party entities, including Check With Us Payroll Services Inc, Emerald Dunes LLC, Infinite Abundance Inc, Quantum Wellness Solutions LLC, Synergy Funnel Inc, and Zivich Investments LLC.
July 28, 2023 The case was transferred from Judge Hoffman to Judge Joseph Giulitto.
August 30, 2023 Adam filed a Motion to Prohibit Contact Between Marital Children and Defendant's at-the-time fiancé (calling him a paramour).
December 5, 2023 Attorney David Scott Anthony withdrew due to the judges constitutionally violating decision to block contact of the childrens future stepfather, who mother lived with, from any contact with the children, and Candace Ann Kim-Knox substituted as counsel for Carey Ann.
February 21, 2024 to March 1, 2024 Carey Ann filed a Motion for Disbursement of Funds from the marital residence sale on February 21, which Adam opposed on February 22. Judge Giulitto denied the motion for release of sale proceeds on February 28. Attorney Kim-Knox moved to withdraw as counsel on February 29 due to a death in the family.
May 2, 2024 to July 17, 2024 Adam filed an Emergency Motion for Supervised Parenting Time on May 2. Carey Ann filed a Motion for Contempt for Parenting Time on May 16 and May 29. On July 17, a Decree of Divorce with Children Trial by Judge with Support was entered and signed under duress after Lisa Dean on her own accord and without a court order granting her the power to, stripped mother of all contact for three months to force the signing of said decree rendering it void.
October 2024 to December 2024 Carey Ann issued several subpoenas to witnesses (including the children's therapists and counselors like Lori Long and Mary Malek). Adam filed a Motion to Quash these subpoenas on October 25. Judge Giulitto entered an Order of Recusal (signed by Judge Hightower) on November 7, 2024. In December, CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency) administrative mistake of fact determinations and objections were heavily litigated.
January 22, 2025 to March 5, 2025 The case was transferred to a fourth judge, Judge Mark Wiest, on January 22, 2025. On March 5, 2025, Carey Ann (now represented by Joseph Gregory Stafford) filed a Motion for Contempt and a Motion to Modify Allocation of Parental Rights and Responsibilities.
July 18, 2025 to October 24, 2025 Extensive exhibit and witness lists were filed for a July 25 hearing regarding the custody modification and supplemental motions to show cause. Carey Ann's counsel filed a brief in support of a motion to disqualify Plaintiff's counsel on October 22 due to her filing a protective order against Carey Ann the day before trial as a delay tactic, and Adam's counsel filed a motion to dismiss the oral disqualification request on October 24.
December 23, 2025 Magistrate Elisa Hill denied the motion regarding the disqualification of counsel.
January 27, 2026 Carey Ann filed an Emergency Motion to Modify Visitation, which Adam opposed on February 10.
February 11, 2026 Judge Mark Wiest entered a Judgment Entry/Order of Recusal, resulting in another judicial transition for the case.
April 3, 2026 to April 27, 2026 The docket shows ongoing deep litigation, with Adam filing a Motion to Compel on April 3, and a Second Motion to Show Cause on April 16. Carey Ann filed briefs in opposition and notices of trial conflicts on April 17 and April 20. The last noted event in the record is a Judgment Entry by Judge Wiest on April 27, 2026.
Allegations of Abuse of Process & Lawyer Violations Carey Ann’s legal counsel repeatedly argued that Adam Zivich and his attorneys engaged in an abuse of process by weaponizing the family court system to circumvent the Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (CPO).
Frivolous Motions & CPO Violations: On May 19, 2022, Carey Ann’s counsel filed a Joint Reply arguing that Adam’s Emergency Motion for Custody and Motion for Contempt were frivolous. They argued that Carey Ann was acting lawfully under the authority of the CPO when she temporarily removed herself and her children from a violent situation. Because the CPO strictly prohibited Adam or anyone acting on his behalf from tracking or contacting her, her counsel argued that Adam’s efforts—and his attorneys’ efforts—to contact the children's schools or hire investigators constituted direct violations of the Protection Order.
Attempting to Usurp the Court: During the May 20, 2022 evidentiary hearing, Carey Ann’s attorney, Kimberly Valenti, accused Adam’s attorney, Lisa Dean, of attempting to bypass the magistrate and "usurp the Court" by improperly bringing a motion directly to Judge Steinhauer without advising the Judge that a CPO was already in place.
Allegations of Judicial Errors and Prejudice The record shows Carey Ann's counsel aggressively challenged Judge Susan Steinhauer's rulings, categorizing them as prejudicial, punitive, and harmful to the children:
Punishing the Victim: Following Judge Steinhauer’s June 8, 2022 Order granting Adam temporary legal and residential custody, Carey Ann filed a Motion to Stay Execution on June 9, 2022. Her counsel argued there was "simply no basis for a complete removal of custody". The motion argued that the Court committed a "drastic and punitive act" by punishing a mother who sought lawful protection from an abuser, thereby rewarding a man who had pled guilty to domestic violence.
Endangering the Children via Delayed Drug Testing: On July 13, 2022, Carey Ann’s counsel filed a response arguing that the Court was prejudicing Defendant and harming the children by arbitrarily delaying Adam's mental health and drug testing, and instead transferring that authority to the Guardian ad Litem. They argued this judicial delay allowed Adam to "cut his hair, cut his fingernails, and take other evasive action," intentionally obscuring the detection of drugs like cocaine, Suboxone, and Kratom.
Failure to Drug Test: Carey Ann later filed a Contempt Motion on October 5, 2022, alleging that Adam directly violated the Court's August 9 Order by failing to submit to the mandatory 10-panel fingernail or toenail drug test within 24 hours.
Judicial Recusals: The record shows that Judge Susan Steinhauer eventually entered an Order of Recusal to transfer the case off her docket due to a "personal conflict" on August 22, 2022.
Contradictions in Testimony and Party Claims The May 20, 2022 evidentiary hearing and subsequent filings are filled with stark contradictions between the parties:
The February 15, 2022 Domestic Violence Incident: Adam testified that he simply bumped a bedroom door with his shoulder, which popped it open, and that he accidentally got a wood splinter in his hand which caused him to bleed on a vacuum cleaner. However, Officer Emily Roxbury testified that the door frame was split as if forced open, and that police had to shout at Adam to drop a box cutter because he was actively cutting his own hand. Carey Ann testified that Adam had previously threatened to stab himself and blame it on her so he could take custody of the children.
Manipulation of Divorce Service: Adam and his process server testified they intentionally delayed serving Carey Ann with divorce papers until the exact days she was leaving town for Utah (April 6) and London (April 26), claiming this was to ensure the children were safe with him when she got angry. However, Carey Ann testified she was home and completely available for service for over a month, and that Adam walked freely in and out of her house during that entire period.
Child Abuse vs. Discipline: Carey Ann testified under oath that Adam physically beat their oldest son so hard he flew off the floor, and left a welt on their youngest son's bottom that lasted three days. To contradict this, Adam's attorney read text messages from Carey Ann in 2016 and 2017 stating, "I just spanked his ass" and "I'm going to start spanking him again". Carey Ann countered that she only ever "lightly tap[s]" the children to get their attention, distinguishing her discipline from Adam's alleged beatings.
Skin Marks and "Stem Cell Patches": Adam submitted photographs of circular red marks on the children's skin. Carey Ann testified these marks were not from abuse, but were a "Band-Aid intolerance" reaction.. Adam's mother also testified that she took those photos to document the children's adverse reactions blaming Carey Ann's patches as child abuse.
Suicide Threats and Hospitalization: Carey Ann testified that in 2019, Adam wrote a suicide note, causing his parents to call the police who searched for him for four hours before hospitalizing him. Adam completely contradicted this, claiming he never wrote a note, was merely depressed, and that his father called the police. Adam's mother also contradicted Carey Ann, testifying under oath that Adam did not have a history of suicidal thoughts in spite of a full police record with the Sagamore Hills Police Department of the event.
Allegations of Severe Drug Use: Carey Ann testified that throughout their marriage, Adam had severe substance abuse issues, claiming he hid Patron bottles in the basement and used Suboxone, Kratom, opiates, and cocaine (which she discovered when he stole money from their bank account). Adam’s counsel filed a motion a month later demanding these claims be stricken from the record, denying the claims and calling them "outrageous," "scandalous," and "repulsive" in spite of extensive evidence submitted to the court of his criminal history and heavy drug use since high school.
January 2022
January 24: Recordings and notes indicate a hostile environment in the home, with audio files referencing Adam "throwing things" and Carey Ann recording him. Additionally, Carey Ann later reported in a police statement that Adam interrupted her Zoom calls, calling people "homosexuals and faggots", an event she documented as occurring on this date.
February 2022
February 9: Adam contacted his attorney because he believed Carey Ann was going to relocate to Florida; he was instructed to file for divorce to get a mutual restraining order in place.
February 15: A severe domestic violence incident occurred at the marital residence. Adam kicked a full glass of wine he had just handed her out of Carey Ann’s hand (shattering it against the wall), kicked the bedroom door open with enough force to split the frame, and cut his own hand (which he claimed was a splinter, but police witnessed him attempting to cut himself with a box cutter). Adam was arrested by Sagamore Hills Police and charged with Domestic Violence.
February 16: Adam returned to the residence with a police escort to gather his belongings, at which point he surrendered 20 rounds of ammunition and a pistol holster as ordered by the judge.
March 2022
March 17: Adam pled guilty in Stow Municipal Court to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct. He was fined $250 and sentenced to 10 days in jail, which were suspended.
March 18: Carey Ann texted Adam stating that any man would love to send their kids to an amazing school in Florida "paid for by their wife".
March 21: Adam officially filed the Complaint for Divorce.
March 23: A Mutual Restraining Order was issued to both parties.
April 2022
April 6: Adam and a process server attempted to serve Carey Ann with divorce papers at the Cleveland airport at 6:00 AM as she was flying to Utah.
April 26: Carey Ann was officially personally served with the divorce complaint at 8:26 AM in her driveway.
May 2022
May 3: Adam testified this was the date he discovered financial records indicating Carey Ann was moving money.
May 4–5: Adam saw the children for the last time before she filed a protective order; on May 5, he brought cupcakes to Zachary's school for his birthday to posture himself for the court as the primary caregiver-the first cupcakes he had baked in their ten year marriage his mother likely baked as he never cooked or baked during the duration of their marriage.
May 6: Carey Ann picked the boys up from school after filing a CPO with her attorney at the Summit County Courts granted by Magistrate Collins, and took the children to Great Wolf Lodge for a week to celebrate Zachary's birthday. Adam used this to claim she changed the children’s residence and absconded to Florida.
May 7: Adam went to the Sagamore Hills Police Department to request an Amber Alert, claiming the children were kidnapped. Police contacted Carey Ann and confirmed the children were safe.
May 9: Carey Ann obtained an ex parte Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order (CPO) which granted her exclusive possession of the home and temporarily suspended Adam's parental rights. In spite of being served the CPO directly at his lawyers office, Adam filed an Emergency Motion for Ex Parte Custody.
May 13: Adam filed a Motion for Contempt, alleging Carey Ann changed the children's residence.
May 14–16: Carey Ann contacted a battered women's shelter for protection and subsequently moved between hotels out of fear on advice of counsel. She also signed the children up for therapy at Twinsburg Child Guidance.
May 19: Carey Ann's attorney, John Chapman, filed a Joint Reply asking to strike Adam's motions, arguing she was acting lawfully under the CPO to protect the children from abuse.
May 20: An all-day evidentiary hearing was held before Judge Susan K. Steinhauer regarding the CPO and emergency custody motions.
June 2022
June 8: Judge Steinhauer issued a 28-page Order granting Adam temporary legal and residential custody, while ordering Carey Ann to have strictly supervised parenting time at a facility.
June 9: Carey Ann's counsel filed a Motion to Stay Execution, arguing removing custody from the mother punished her for seeking lawful protection from an abuser. The Court also finalized the CPO, protecting mother from father while handing him full custody, making it effective for one year (until June 6, 2023), which he used to further abuse mother.
June 11: The children were transferred to Adam's custody.
June 13: Brendon J. Kohrs was officially appointed as Guardian ad Litem (GAL).
June 14: Carey Ann filed a Motion for Mental Health and Drug Assessment/Testing against Adam.
June 16: Isaiah had an intake session with therapist Lori Long, who noted the mother "fled to Florida for 38 days" and the father now had full custody.
June 29: Adam filed a Response to the drug testing motion, asking to strike the allegations as scandalous and requesting the GAL handle any testing decisions.
July 2022
July 11: Adam emailed therapist Lori Long requesting an urgent meeting to discuss his concerns, noting the children missed their mother but she was refusing to set up supervised visitation.
July 13: Carey Ann's counsel filed a response arguing the Court was prejudicing her and harming the children by delaying Adam's drug testing, giving him time to cut his hair/nails and hide drug use.
July 19: Judge Steinhauer issued an Order to Appear and Show Cause against Carey Ann for contempt.
August 2022
August 4: Carey Ann had her first supervised visit with the children, supervised by Scott Stutler at her home. Adam forwarded emails to Lori Long, complaining that the GAL let Carey Ann go 7 weeks without seeing the boys.
August 9: The Court issued an order requiring both parties to take a 10-panel fingernail/toenail drug test within 24 hours and to cooperate with scheduling Zoom and supervised parenting time.
August 10: Carey Ann initiated a nightly Zoom call schedule from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
August 17: Lori Long held a session with the boys where they discussed the nightly Zoom calls, noting the boys were picking on each other during the long calls.
August 18 & 22: Judge Steinhauer recused herself and transferred the case off her docket due to a "personal conflict".
August 23: The Ohio Supreme Court assigned the case to visiting Judge John R. Hoffman, Jr..
August 25: A supervised visit with Scott Stutler took place, during which the boys argued over a box fort.
August 29: Carey Ann requested to push a Zoom call back to 8:40 PM; Adam refused, citing the 48-hour notice rule and the children's bedtime.
September 2022
September 13: The boys told Lori Long they were frustrated with the long Zoom calls and internet issues, and Zachary reported crying during a bad call.
September 15: Lori Long finally reached out to mother who detailed severe allegations of Adam's drug use (Kratom, acid, cocaine) and claiming he made Zachary cry every night and threatened to stab himself regularly.
September 29: A deposition for the Court took place regarding the boys, after which the GAL recommended parenting evaluations for both parents.
October 2022
October 5: Carey Ann filed a Motion for Contempt, alleging Adam completely failed to submit to the mandatory 10-panel drug test within 24 hours, interfered with Zoom time, and violated the CPO by driving within 500 feet of her.
October 8: Carey Ann attempted to change the daily Zoom calls to 3:00 PM–4:00 PM, which Adam rejected.
October 14: Deposition of Scott Stutler (the visitation supervisor).
October 17: A Pretrial Conference was held. Adam filed a statement indicating Carey Ann had refused to use a facility for supervised visits in June and July, and that the private supervisor (Stutler) quit.
October 19: Carey Ann began "reintegration" supervised visits with the boys at therapist Lori Long's office.
November 2022
November 2 & 8: Successful supervised sessions took place at Lori Long's office, where Zachary snuggled with Carey Ann and she brought them snacks and toys. Lori called it inappropriate for a five year old to sit on his mothers lap he only saw one hour a week at the time.
November 4: Adam canceled an evening Zoom call citing "extenuating circumstances outside of my control."
November 11: Depositions of school faculty members Alicia Warrington and Shannon Larsen took place.
November 14: Judge Hoffman issued a Judgment Entry/Temporary Orders granting Carey Ann increased, unsupervised visitation on Wednesday evenings (5:00 PM to 7:30 PM) and for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
November 15–17: The parents coordinated the new Wednesday unsupervised drop-offs at the Sagamore Hills Police Department.
November 18: Grandmother Maryellen called Lori Long to report she confiscated CBD spray and "energy" vitamins that Carey Ann had packed in the boys' bags which was a false allegation.
December 2022
December 5: Carey Ann messaged Adam attempting to dictate a new zoom schedule so she could do their homework, which Adam stated was impossible.
December 20: Counsel exchanged emails confirming the holiday schedules and Carey Ann's new weekend companionship parameters.
December 23: Carey Ann filed an Emergency Motion for Custody to allow the children to travel to see her terminally ill father. She also exercised a 9 AM to 7 PM visitation this day.
December 25–26: Carey Ann exercised her court-ordered unsupervised overnight visitation for Christmas.
December 28–29: Adam filed an opposing affidavit regarding the emergency trip, expressing concern about taking the children out of state and citing the grandfather's history of abusive behavior.
December 30: Judge Hoffman held an emergency hearing and granted the motion, ordering that Carey Ann could take the boys to visit their terminally ill grandfather from December 31, 2022, to January 3, 2023.
