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Kathyrn Dennis has struggled with personal issues that have resulted in legal issues since audiences first met her on Southern Charm.

The reality TV star made her Bravo debut in 2014 when she appeared as a “friend of” the Southern Charm cast during the show’s first season. She became a main cast member, and fans watched the many ups and downs of her relationship with Thomas Ravenel. After eight seasons on the Charleston-based show, Kathryn announced her departure from Southern Charm in January 2023, as reported by ScreenRant.

The Bravolebrity’s celebrity celebrated her 30th birthday with an Instagram post, where she revealed that she was grateful for the “ups and downs” and “painful burns” of the past decade.

Kathyrn Dennis’ Battle With Substances Led To Her DUI

Kathryn Dennis’ battle with substances has been documented over her years on Southern Charm.PEOPLE reported that the reality star entered rehab in 2016 after failing a drug test during her custody battle over her two children with Thomas Ravenel.

• The legal drug test saw her test positive for marijuana, which she acknowledged she had become dependent on due to stress and depression.
• Kathryn entered a 30-day rehab program in Malibu in June of 2016, according to court papers and reported by The Daily Mail.

According to paperwork obtained by The Blast, Thomas accused his ex of drinking and using drugs while pregnant with their kids. PEOPLE reported that he claimed their two children, Kensington Calhoun and St. Julien Rembert had “developmental and behavioral problems” as a result of their mother. Her attorney denied his allegations.

In August 2019, she told Andy Cohen she was not using drugs. “I don’t smoke weed or do anything illegal like that,” she explained during the Southern Charm Season 6 reunion. She did, however, admit to occasionally drinking alcohol. She has spoken about the ways she tried to limit her partying and control her drinking.

“I stay out of a lot of the things I used to do, obviously, which is the social events, the silly parties and what not. I spend a lot of time at home,” she told Entertainment Tonight in 2019. “And I try to make my home feel like my sanctuary.”

In May 2024, PEOPLE reported that Kathryn Dennis had been charged with a DUI. According to the outlet, one of the responding officers told a colleague that the reality star was “possibly impaired,” and the report stated Kathryn “had glossy eyes and an odor of alcohol coming from her.”

US Weekly reported that she requested a jury trial in June for the incident, which caused three cars to collide.

USA Today reported that the officer allegedly found several miniature bottles of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey in Kathryn’s car, some of which were open and empty. She told the authorities she had not eaten or drunk anything, although she later admitted she had drunk alcohol earlier.

In a video obtained by Entertainment Tonight from the Goose Creek Police Department, of her arrest, she claims, “I don’t understand why I’m being arrested, though. Genuinely, no… This is crazy. Like, honestly, because I’m on a TV show, it is, like, a thing.” She later calls out her ex, Thomas Ravenel, for ruining her life.

In October 2023, PEOPLE also reported that a vehicle registered in Kathyrn’s name was involved in an alleged hit-and-run. The SUV reportedly struck a school resource officer directing traffic, before driving away. Page Six reported that the vehicle “did not stop at the scene of the collision” and was later found at Kathyrn’s home.

Kathryn Dennis’ Multiple Eviction Notices

ScreenRant shared that Kathryn Dennis was hit with three eviction cases in 2022, due to nonpayment on her luxury apartment in Charleston, as reported by The US Sun.

Fans and co-stars have long questioned if Kathyrn was living outside her means and spending more than she could afford on her luxury lifestyle. Naomie Olindo had called her out on Southern Charm for her “foolish” financial decisions.

A Deeper Look At Kathryn’s Eviction Notices

• Per Reality Tea, she was served with a Rule to Vacate notice for “non-payment of rent” on Nov. 17, 2022, by her complex.
• Kathryn was hit earlier in 2022 with two Rule to Vacate notices for the WestEdge apartment she once shared with ex-Chleb Ravenell after missing two rental payments, totaling $9,252.
• She was given a second Rule to Vacate in May 2022, which was settled in June that same year.

Kathryn Dennis’ Custody Battle With Thomas Ravenel

Kathryn Dennis and Thomas Ravenel have battled for custody and traded allegations since their 2016 split. The pair were formerally seen enjoying time at Patricia Altschul’s Charleston estate, but now, they’re estranged. Not long after their split, she lost custody of her two children amid her struggles with substance abuse. What followed was years of legal issues between the former couple, which ended in him having full custody of Kenzie and Julien.

In 2017, a court-appointed doctor suggested Thomas and Kathyrn co-parent, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly, and the pair had 50/50 custody in 2018. Things took a turn for Kathryn after this joint custody decision.

Kathryn fought to seek full custody of her little ones after Thomas was arrested, per US Weekly. The former politician pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and battery after his former nanny accused him of sexual assault. PEOPLE reported that he agreed to pay a $500 fine instead of a 30-day jail sentence and reached a settlement with the nanny.

The pair accused each other of not paying child support. In October 2018, Us Weekly obtained documents where Kathryn asked Thomas to “pay for the private school tuition of the minor children for both preschool and thereafter.” His counter-filing claimed that she had not paid child support since June 2018.

In July 2019, Thomas filed court documents to demand full custody of his two children because, according to The Blast, Kathyrn had failed a drug test. “While in the possession of the children, Kathryn produced a urine test positive for marijuana,” the court docs state.

• She denied the allegations and was given joint custody, although Thomas remained the primary legal guardian.

In 2020, Thomas filed an emergency motion for sole custody after an incident happened when his children were in the care of their mother. Court documents detail allegations of drug use and negligent parenting by Kathyrn. The Daily Mail reported that the reality star “takes a laundry list of uppers and downers despite her claims to be clean and sober and is addicted to prescription medications, marijuana, alcohol, shopping, and sex.”

All About The Tea reported in 2023 that Thomas had won sole custody of his two children. He makes all the parenting decisions and Kathryn will only be allowed to see the children when with a supervisor who has been pre-approved by the courts. She has lost her right to have overnight stays with her two children.

I am beyond grateful for the outcome of this custody battle and for being granted sole custody of my children.

The former politician continued, “Family is the most important thing in my life, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that my kids have a happy and stable future. This has been a challenging journey, but with the support of my loved ones and legal team, justice prevailed.”

Southern Charm
Season 10 airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.