FRANKFORT, Ky., Aug. 11, 2021 – Kentucky’s circuit court judges met in person for their annual college for the first time since last year’s educational program was canceled due to COVID-19. The judges participated in the college June 20-23 in Louisville.
“It was great to have this time together again,” said Jefferson Circuit Judge Charles L. Cunningham Jr., who is president of the Kentucky Circuit Judges Association. “The circuit judges look forward to catching up on the latest trends affecting the judiciary and sharing ideas with colleagues who understand the responsibilities that come with sitting on the bench.”
Judges were able to earn continuing judicial education credits at the college, which was hosted by the KCJA Education Committee and the Division of Education Services at the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Judges participated in sessions on ensuring fairness in courtrooms for people who are LGBTQ and recognizing victim safety issues in domestic violence cases. They also got an update on legislation the Kentucky General Assembly passed in 2021 that affects their work as circuit judges.
In addition to plenary sessions, the college offered separate tracks for circuit judges, who hear civil and criminal cases, and Family Court judges, who hear family law cases.
General circuit judges learned about mediation in civil and felony cases and received case law updates based on opinions from the Supreme Court of Kentucky, the Kentucky Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. They also took part in two sessions about impaired driving – one on expert witnesses and the other on Senate Bill 85, which requires first-time DUI offenders to use an ignition interlock device or face a longer license suspension.
Family Court judges learned about the trauma that children in foster care may experience and the resources judges can use to help them. In a roundtable discussion, they heard from young people about what they encountered in foster care and how to improve the system. Other sessions covered using mediation in family law cases and addressing issues in high-conflict custody cases to reach the best outcome for children involved. The judges also had the option of attending a roundtable with their fellow Family Court judges to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions.
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.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and 406 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
Some judges serve more than one county. By counties in each judicial circuit, Circuit Court judges who attended the college include:
Allen and Simpson counties
Family Court Judge Sid Broderson
Circuit Court Judge Mark A. Thurmond
Barren and Metcalfe counties
Circuit Court Judge John T. Alexander
Family Court Judge Mica Wood Pence
Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties
Circuit Court Judge David A. Barber
Boone and Gallatin counties
Family Court Judge Linda Rae Bramlage
Family Court Judge Jennifer R. Dusing
Circuit Court Judge James R. Schrand
Bourbon, Scott and Woodford counties
Circuit Court Judge Jeremy M. Mattox
Family Court Judge Lisa H. Morgan
Boyle and Mercer counties
Circuit Court Judge Darren W. Peckler
Family Court Judge Bruce Petrie
Bracken, Fleming and Mason counties
Circuit Court Judge Stockton B. Wood
Breathitt, Powell and Wolfe counties
Family Court Judge Larry Miller
Circuit Court Judge Lisa Hayden Whisman
Breckinridge, Grayson and Meade counties
Circuit Court Judge Bruce T. Butler
Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Harold Goff II
Bullitt County
Bullitt County Family Court Judge Monica K. Meredith
Bullitt County Family Court Judge Elisè Givhan Spainhour
Butler, Edmonson, Hancock and Ohio counties
Circuit Court Judge Timothy R. Coleman
Calloway and Marshall counties
Circuit Court Judge James T. Jameson
Family Court Judge Stephanie J. Perlow
Campbell County
Campbell County Circuit Court Judge Julie Reinhardt Ward
Campbell County Family Court Judge Richard A. Woeste
Campbell County Circuit Court Judge Daniel J. Zalla
Carroll, Grant and Owen counties
Circuit Court Judge R. Leslie Knight
Christian County
Christian County Family Court Judge Jason Shea Fleming
Clark and Madison counties
Circuit Court Judge Brandy Oliver Brown
Circuit Court Judge Cole Adams Maier
Family Court Judge Nora J. Shepherd
Family Court Judge Kimberly Blair Walson
Clay, Jackson and Leslie counties
Family Court Judge Clint J. Harris
Circuit Court Judge Oscar Gayle House
Clinton, Cumberland and Monroe counties
Circuit Court Judge David L. Williams
Crittenden, Union and Webster counties
Family Court Judge Brandi H. Rogers
Circuit Court Judge C. Rene’ Williams
Daviess County
Daviess County Family Court Judge Julia H. Gordon
Fayette County
Fayette County Family Court Judge Traci Brislin
Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Nell Bunnell
Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Julie Muth Goodman
Fayette County Family Court Judge Lucinda Masterton
Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Ernesto Scorsone
Fayette County Circuit Court Judge Lucy A. VanMeter
Floyd County
Floyd County Circuit Court Judge Johnny Ray Harris
Floyd County Circuit Court Judge Thomas M. Smith
Franklin County
Franklin County Family Court Judge Squire Williams III
Garrard and Jessamine counties
Family Court Judge Jeff Moss
Graves County
Graves County Circuit Court Judge Kevin D. Bishop
Green, Marion, Taylor and Washington counties
Circuit Court Judge Kaelin G. Reed
Hardin County
Hardin County Family Court Judge Pamela K. Addington
Hardin County Circuit Court Judge Kelly Mark Easton
Hardin County Family Court Judge Brent Hall
Hardin County Circuit Court Judge John David Simcoe
Harlan County
Harlan County Circuit Court Judge Kent Hendrickson
Hart, LaRue and Nelson counties
Circuit Court Judge Joe G. Ballard
Circuit Court Judge Charles C. Simms III
Henderson County
Henderson County Family Court Judge Sheila N. Farris
Henderson County Circuit Court Judge Karen L. Wilson
Henry, Oldham and Trimble counties
Circuit Court Judge Jerry D. Crosby II
Family Court Judge Doreen S. Goodwin
Hopkins County
Hopkins County Family Court Judge Susan Wesley McClure
Hopkins County Circuit Court Judge Christopher B. Oglesby
Jefferson County
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Angela McCormick Bisig
Jefferson Family Court Judge Denise DeBerry Brown
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge A.C. McKay Chauvin
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Charles L. Cunningham Jr.
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Bryan D. Gatewood
Jefferson Family Court Judge Lori N. Goodwin
Jefferson Family Court Judge Tara Hagerty
Jefferson Family Court Judge Angela J. Johnson
Jefferson Family Court Judge Lauren Adams Ogden
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Mitch Perry
Jefferson Family Court Judge Shelley M. Santry
Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Ann Bailey Smith
Jefferson Family Court Judge A. Christine Ward
Jefferson Family Court Judge Derwin L. Webb
Johnson, Lawrence and Martin counties
Family Court Judge Janie McKenzie-Wells
Kenton County
Kenton County Family Court Judge Acena J. Beck
Kenton County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen S. Lape
Kenton County Family Court Judge Christopher J. Mehling
Kenton County Circuit Court Judge Patricia M. Summe
Knott and Magoffin counties
Circuit Court Judge Kim Cornett Childers
Knox and Laurel counties
Family Court Judge Stephen M. Jones
Circuit Court Judge Gregory A. Lay
Lincoln, Pulaski and Rockcastle counties
Family Court Judge Marcus L. Vanover
Family Court Judge Jane Adams Venters
Circuit Court Judge Teresa Whitaker
McCracken County
McCracken County Family Court Judge Deanna Wise Henschel
McCracken County Circuit Court Judge Tim Kaltenbach
McCracken County Circuit Court Judge W.A. Kitchen
Pike County
Pike County Circuit Court Judge Eddy Coleman
Pike County Circuit Court Judge Howard Keith Hall
Pike County Family Court Judge Kent Varney
Russell and Wayne counties
Family Court Judge Jennifer Upchurch Edwards
Warren County
Warren County Family Court Judge Catherine Rice Holderfield
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