FRANKFORT, Ky., May 2, 2023 – The Judicial Nominating Commission, led by Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Laurance B. VanMeter, today announced nominees to fill the judicial vacancy on Jefferson Family Court. Jefferson County makes up the 30th Judicial Circuit and the vacancy is in Family Division 5.
The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Justin Ray Key, Allison Spencer Russell and Laura Prater Russell, all of Louisville.
Key is a member with Goldberg Simpson. Allison Spencer Russell is a joint owner of and partner with Simms Russell Law. Laura Prater Russell is a partner with Eddins-Domine Law Group.
They each focus on family law in their practice and received their juris doctor degree from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.
The judicial seat will become vacant when Judge Tara Hagerty’s resignation takes effect June 1.
Circuit Court
Circuit Court is the court of general jurisdiction that hears civil matters involving more than $5,000, capital offenses and felonies, divorces, adoptions, termination of parental rights, land dispute title cases and contested probate cases. In counties with a Family Court division of Circuit Court, Family Court judges have primary jurisdiction in cases involving family issues, including divorces, adoption, child support, domestic violence and juvenile status offenses.
Judicial Nominating Commission
The Judicial Nominating Commission helps fill judicial vacancies by appointment when a vacancy occurs outside of the election cycle. The Kentucky Constitution established the JNC. Ky. Const. § 118; SCR 6.000, et seq.
Judicial Nominating Process
When a judicial vacancy occurs, the executive secretary of the JNC publishes a notice of vacancy in the judicial circuit or the judicial district affected. Attorneys may recommend someone or nominate themselves. The names of the applicants are not released. Once nominations occur, the individuals interested in the position return a questionnaire to the Office of the Chief Justice. The chief justice then meets with the Judicial Nominating Commission to choose three nominees. Because the Kentucky Constitution requires that three names be submitted to the governor, in some cases the commission submits an attorney’s name even though the attorney did not apply. A letter naming the three nominees is sent to the governor for review. The governor has 60 days to appoint a replacement and his office makes the announcement.
Makeup of the Judicial Nominating Commission
The commission has seven members. The membership is comprised of the chief justice of Kentucky (who also serves as chair), two lawyers elected by all the lawyers in their circuit/district and four Kentucky citizens who are appointed by the governor. The four citizens appointed by the governor must equally represent the two major political parties, so two must be Democrats and two must be Republicans. It is the responsibility of the commission to submit a list of three names to the governor and the governor must appoint a judge from this list of three.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort is the operations arm of the state court system. The AOC supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 413 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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