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Wynonna Sues Her Former Stepfather

How close is Wynonna Judd to her family? Just last month Judd tied the knot with her drummer and long-term boyfriend Cactus Moser, but her own mother and sister didn’t make the invite list, a decision that has baffled many.

Now this past Monday (July 9), Judd filed a lawsuit against her former stepfather, Michael Ciminella, in the Jefferson Circuit Court. According to CBS News, Judd claims that he owes her more than $200,000 for an unpaid property mortgage in Louisville, KY from 1994. Ciminella presently lives on the property and Judd is hoping this property will be sold through the courts to get back her loan.

The Louisville Courier-Journal found that this ordeal began back on September 16, 2011 when Judd’s representatives sent a letter to Ciminella demanding the principal and interest of $242,051 for defaulting on the mortgage. Ciminella’s attorney, Jeffrey Thompson, responded by saying the money was a gift, not a loan. Thompson also indicated Judd has never asked for repayment until now.

“This is a private family matter between a father and daughter,” said Thompson, “that has unfortunately become public.”

Ciminella was married to Naomi Judd, who performed and recorded with Wynonna as the mother-daughter duo The Judds. He is also the father of actress Ashley Judd. The couple divorced in 1972.

-Ashley Quadros, CBS Local

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