FRANKFORT, Ky., March 31, 2020 — With the COVID-19 emergency limiting the ability of attorneys to attend live continuing legal education programming, the Supreme Court has issued an order allowing more time to complete the required credits for the 2019-2020 educational year.
A 2018 amendment to the Supreme Court Rules allows attorneys to earn all CLE credits through non-live programming. However, the Supreme Court recognizes that many attorneys prefer live programs and it may be challenging to find free or low-cost non-live programming in 2020. Accordingly, to avoid uncertainty and financial hardship, Supreme Court Administrative Order 2020-15 does the following:
- Moves the 2019-20 CLE deadline to June 30, 2021, when 24 credits, including 4 ethics credits, must be completed and certified.
- Moves the 2019-20 CLE reporting deadline for credits timely earned to August 10, 2021.
You can find ongoing court updates on the COVID-19 and the Courts webpage.
About the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. Seven justices sit on the Supreme Court and all seven justices rule on appeals that come before the court. The justices are elected from seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. A chief justice, chosen for a four-year term by fellow justices, is the administrative head of the state’s court system and is responsible for its operation. The Supreme Court may order a ruling or opinion to be published, which means that the ruling becomes the case law governing all similar cases in the future in Kentucky.
About the Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort is the operations arm for the state court system. The AOC supports the activities of nearly 3,400 court system employees and 406 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget.