Courts in Kentucky
| More information on Kentucky's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In Kentucky, there are two federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through Kentucky's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Kentucky and Kentucky judicial elections
Selection of state court judges in Kentucky occurs through nonpartisan elections. Judges of the Kentucky Supreme Court, Kentucky Court of Appeals, and Kentucky Circuit Courts serve eight-year terms. District court judges serve four-year terms. Judges wishing to serve multiple terms must run for re-election.[1]
To read more about judicial elections in Kentucky, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district courts in Kentucky are the:
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
- United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
Appeals from these districts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.
Active judges
Eastern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 24, 2001 - |
Transylvania University, 1977 |
University of Kentucky College of Law, 1980 |
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| February 19, 2002 - |
University of Kentucky, 1988 |
University of Kentucky College of Law, 1991 |
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| January 5, 2006 - |
Asbury College, 1982 |
University of Kentucky College of Law, 1989 |
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| April 11, 2018 - |
Transylvania University, 1991 |
Vanderbilt University Law School, 1994 |
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| June 12, 2018 - |
University of Kentucky, 1989 |
University of Kentucky College of Law, 1992 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 0
- Republican appointed: 5
Western District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 5, 2014 - |
Eastern Kentucky University, 1982 |
University of Kentucky Law, 1985 |
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| December 10, 2014 - |
Vanderbilt University, 1989 |
University of Kentucky Law, 1992 |
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| April 11, 2018 - |
Transylvania University, 1991 |
Vanderbilt University Law School, 1994 |
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| April 19, 2018 - |
Emory University, 1999 |
American University, Washington College of Law, 2002 |
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| December 1, 2020 - |
Centre College, 2003 |
Columbia Law School, 2009 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 2
- Republican appointed: 3
District map
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There are two federal bankruptcy courts in Kentucky. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in Kentucky are:
- United States bankruptcy court, Eastern District of Kentucky
- United States bankruptcy court, Western District of Kentucky
State supreme court
- See also: Kentucky Supreme Court
Founded in 1975, the Kentucky Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships.[2] The current chief of the court is Laurance VanMeter. The court consists of seven justices who are elected from the seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. The chief judge is selected by the court for a term of four years. The court hears appeals as a panel from lower courts and issue rulings, known as opinions, in the cases. The court is also responsible for establishing rules and procedures for the state courts, including the conduct of judges and attorneys.[3]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Supreme Court 1st District | Christopher Nickell | Nonpartisan | December 11, 2019 |
| Kentucky Supreme Court 2nd District | Kelly Thompson | Nonpartisan | January 2, 2023 |
| Kentucky Supreme Court 3rd District | Debra Hembree Lambert | Nonpartisan | January 7, 2019 |
| Kentucky Supreme Court 4th District | Angela McCormick Bisig | Nonpartisan | January 2, 2023 |
| Kentucky Supreme Court 5th District | Pamela R. Goodwine | Nonpartisan | January 6, 2025 |
| Kentucky Supreme Court 6th District | Michelle M. Keller | Nonpartisan | April 3, 2013 |
| Kentucky Supreme Court 7th District | Robert Conley | Nonpartisan | January 4, 2021 |
State court of appeals
- See also: Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in Kentucky. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution that created the Kentucky Supreme Court, the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in the state.[2][4]
The court consists of 14 members who serve eight-year terms. Two judges are elected from each of the state's seven appellate court districts. The court hears cases normally in three-judge panels, with membership in the panels rotating so all judges sit on at least one panel with each of their colleagues every year. The court is headquartered in Frankfort, Kentucky, but the three-judge panels hear cases in courtrooms throughout the state.[4]
The court hears appeals from the district and circuit courts.[4]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
December 6, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
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2006 - Present |
Ernie Fletcher |
|
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January 2, 2023 - Present |
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|
April 29, 2024 - Present |
Andy Beshear |
|
|
January 1, 2007 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 5, 2004 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2020 - Present |
Andy Beshear |
|
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January 2, 2023 - Present |
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|
January 2, 2023 - Present |
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|
2013 - Present |
Steve Beshear |
|
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September 25, 2021 - Present |
Andy Beshear |
|
|
1994 - Present |
Brereton Jones |
|
|
January 7, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
Trial courts
Circuit courts
- See also: Kentucky Circuit Courts
The Kentucky Circuit Courts hold general jurisdiction over civil matters involving more than $5,000, capital offenses and felonies, land dispute title cases, and contested probate cases. The courts have the authority to issue injunction, writs of prohibition and 'mandamus'. These courts hear appeals from the state's district courts and from administrative agencies.[5] Cases involving the death penalty, sentences of life imprisonment, or sentences of imprisonment for twenty years or more go directly from the circuit court level, where the cases are tried, to the Supreme Court for review.[3]
Within a circuit, one judge may serve more than one county. Some circuits contain only one county but have several judges, depending on population and caseload. Circuit judges serve in eight-year terms.[5]
Family courts
- See also: Kentucky Family Court
The circuit courts contain a family division, which retains general jurisdiction in cases dealing with marriage, divorce, adoption, custody, and termination of parental rights. Along with the district courts, the family courts also retain jurisdiction over proceedings including:[5]
- Dependency, neglect, and abuse
- Domestic abuse and violence
- Juvenile status offenses
- The Uniform Act on Paternity and the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
District courts
- See also: Kentucky District Courts
The Kentucky District Courts are trial courts of limited jurisdiction. These courts handle arraignments, cases relating to domestic violence and abuse, city and county ordinances, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, felony probable cause hearings, juvenile matters, misdemeanors, probate of wills, small claims involving $2,500 or less, traffic offenses, violations, voluntary, and involuntary mental commitments. District court judges serve four-year terms.[6]
Business court
The Kentucky Business Court Docket pilot project began on January 1, 2020, and retains jurisdiction in Jefferson County. The court provides a specialized focus for complex commercial cases and improvements of court efficiency for all litigants. Circuit judges Angela McCormick Bisig and Charles L. Cunningham Jr. served as the inaugural Business Court docket judges.[7]
The Kentucky Courts' Civil Justice Reform Commission established the pilot project in August 2018 and established the project's rules of practice in November 2019.[7]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Kentucky," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Legislative Research Commission - Kentucky, "Constitutions of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Informational Bulletin No. 210, November 2020" accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kentucky Courts, "Supreme Court," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Kentucky Courts, "Court of Appeals," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kentucky Courts, "Circuit Court," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Courts, "District Court," accessed March 15, 2021
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kentucky Courts, "Business Court," accessed March 15, 2021
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky
State courts:
Kentucky Supreme Court • Kentucky Court of Appeals • Kentucky Circuit Courts • Kentucky District Courts • Kentucky Family Court
State resources:
Courts in Kentucky • Kentucky judicial elections • Judicial selection in Kentucky
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