Court rules in favor of Kings' Richaun Holmes in heated custody battle

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When you cover an NBA team, there are times when the outside world seeps in and becomes something more.

Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes sat out the final 11 games of the season due to “personal reasons.” Shortly after his departure from the team, it was reported that Holmes, who has been in a custody battle over his minor son for over two years, was accused of domestic violence against both his former spouse and child.

According to the reporting of the Sacramento Bee at the time, a restraining order was granted against Holmes in a Sacramento court, although the case was then sent back to a Los Angeles court, where it originated.

The information quieted down on the case, but now we have resolution, at least for now.

According to court documents acquired by The Kings Beat, Holmes was granted full custody of his son on April 21:

“The Custody Order awards sole physical and sole legal custody of [redacted] to Respondent and further provides: Petitioner is ordered to deliver the minor child to Respondent by 12:00 (noon) on April 22, 2022 in the lobby of the Sacramento Police Department. If the Petitioner fails to deliver the minor child on April 22, 2022, then, by operation of law, the Court appoints the Los Angeles District Attorney Child Abduction Unit to locate the whereabouts of the minor child, take possession of the minor child, and deliver the minor child to Respondent.”

This situation did not end here. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the child was not handed over on April 22, as ordered. Instead, he was taken to the state of Georgia, where more court proceedings were initiated by Holmes’ former spouse.

The previous claims of domestic violence, stemming from a February visitation, were restated and additional claims of threatening text messages were added to the filing. According to the ruling in Georgia:

“Petitioner presented no evidence of any threats made by Respondent and no evidence that Respondent was in Georgia at the time Petitioner alleges that she received any threats.”

After conferring with the issuing judge, Thomas Trent Lewis of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Alexandra Manning made the following “Findings and Rulings”:

“The Court finds that Petitioner failed to meet her burden of proving that Respondent committed any acts of family violence in Georgia or that any of her allegations arise from or are connected with Respondent’s minimal connections with the State of Georgia. The Court further finds that at least some of the allegations raised in Petitioner’s Petition have been previously litigated and adjudicated in California. The Court further finds that service of the Petition has not been perfected upon Respondent. Petitioner’s Petition for Temporary Protective Order is hereby dismissed with prejudice.

The Court is disturbed by Petitioner’s apparent attempt to use the protections afforded to victims of domestic violence by this Court and the laws of this state to evade the Custody Order of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, California. The Court finds that an award of the attorney fees Respondent incurred in defending against Petitioner’s Petition is warranted and that the fees incurred by Respondent were reasonable and necessary. The Court hereby orders Petitioner to pay $3,000.00 to Respondent’s counsel.”

The child, who was sequestered by the Georgia court, has already been handed over to his father. Holmes has been awarded sole physical and sole legal custody of his son, with his former spouse being granted limited supervised visitation.

Holmes, who is about to enter the second season of a four-year, $47 million contract with the Kings, struggled through the 2021-22 season due to two eye injuries, a bout with covid-19 and personal issues off the court.