1Agreed Order of Suspension, Jan. 17, 2019, District Judge Sandra L. McLaughlin, 30th Judicial District, Div. The Judicial Conduct Commission,. "I honestly believe 100% when the people from the community I grew up in see what they are labeling as allegations and charges [they'll say], 'Why in the world does anybody think this is wrong? Judicial Conduct Commission; Circuit Court Clerk Conduct Commission; Resources for New Judges; Court Personnel Directory; Report Fraud, Waste & Abuse; Request Court Records; COVID-19; Court ADA; Site Map; Policies; Security; Disclaimer; Accessibility; Administrative Office of the Courts. This story has been updated. Box 126Dixon, KY 42409-0126270-639-5506, Pulaski County Court of Justice50 Public Square, P.O. Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE), Supreme Court Order Appointing Members to KJCMH, Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. The commission suspended Kenton County District Court Judge Ann Ruttle without pay for seven days from April 15 to April 22. PADUCAH The Judicial Conduct Commission of Kentucky has publicized a 254 page document detailing the formal proceedings and charges against 42nd Judicial Circuit Court Judge James T. Jameson . Have a news tip? Failed to act in manner promoting public . Count I: That Jameson acted as the alter ego of the 42nd Judicial Circuit Community Corrections Board in the creation and development of an ankle monitoring program and failed to separate himself as judge from his duties at the CCP, creating the appearance of impropriety to the public. The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission on Thursday released its reports in cases involving disciplinary action against two sitting judges, a circuit judge in western Kentucky and a district judge in northern Kentucky. A Kentucky judge who sent one man to jail without a hearing and "strongly castigated" another has been reprimanded. ", In the final order, the commission says Jameson's misconduct "was not isolated but was a pattern of repeated conduct over an extended period of time. JCC proceedings provide a fair and objective means to preserve the integrity of the judicial process. Christian County Chief Circuit Judge John Atkins has received a public reprimand from the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission regarding his conduct in a pair of criminal cases he oversaw. When the JCC finds sufficient cause, it will conduct a preliminary investigation that may include a meeting with the judge who is the subject of the complaint. In vacating the suspension, the high court did not weigh in on the validity of the misconduct allegations. The KJCMH is charged with exploring, recommending, and implementing transformational changes to improve system wide responses to justice-involved individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities. Click here to see the Code. Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. The following types of circuit court clerk misconduct may lead to disciplinary actions. Section 121 of the Kentucky Constitution authorizes the Commission to suspend without pay, or to remove, a judge or justice for good cause, with judicial review directly to the Supreme Court. IV Judicial Conduct Commission (Refs & Annos) Rules of the Supreme Court (SCR), Rule 4.020. Executive Director Glenda Harrison worked for more than 40 years with the Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, most recently as its advocacy director. (2) . The Judicial Conduct Commission issued an order removing Circuit Judge James T. Jameson from office. If the complaint states facts that, if true, would constitute official misconduct or otherwise improper conduct, then a copy of the complaint, including the name of the person who filed the complaint, will be provided to the circuit court clerk under investigation. The code is intended to provide guidance and assist judges in maintaining the highest standards of judicial and personal conduct, and to provide a basis for regulating their conduct through disciplinary agencies. 1Agreed Order of Suspension, July 10, 2015, District Court Judge Gregory T. Popovich, 17th Judicial District, Div. PADUCAH The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission has ordered the removal of 42nd Circuit Court Judge Jamie Jameson from office and his disqualification from the Nov. 8 election in an. 1Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 1, 2015, District Court Judge Cathy E. Prewitt, 34th Judicial Circuit, Div. The state Judicial Conduct Commission Friday ordered a western Kentucky judge facing multiple misconduct charges be removed from office and barred serving the next term in office.. 42nd Judicial . Kentucky judge, hit with 45 ethics violations in July, is ordered removed from the bench Andrew Wolfson Louisville Courier Journal The Judicial Conduct Commission found Friday that Circuit. Kentucky Rules of the Supreme Court (SCR) 4.300. . And in 2019, Kentucky became one of 11 states to receive a 1Amended Agreed Order of Suspension, Dec. 7, 2015, Circuit Court Judge Steven D. Combs, 35th Judicial Circuit, Div. The report said Atkins waived formal proceedings and agreed to the reprimand. vB&!nBP\Ni,(E:*{FX4SyD!28M1p?gq{Yg&(1F1;. All rights reserved. Increase resources and funding for access to justice in civil legal matters. The JCCs mission is to protect the public, to encourage judges, commissioners and candidates for judicial office to maintain high standards of conduct, and to promote public confidence in the integrity, independence, competence, and impartiality of the judiciary. The commission is the sole state entity authorized by the state constitution to take disciplinary action against a sitting Kentucky judge. 2. Home Chambers5 Cleveland Ave., Suite 500Winchester, KY 40391Phone: 859-901-1616 Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the statewide justice systems and services and periodically report the findings to interested parties in Kentucky. The center offers free legal information for people handling certain civil legal matters on their own. You have permission to edit this article. The grant has allowed the KAJC to develop a strategic plan with the goal of giving all Kentuckians access to justice for their essential civil legal needs. Laurance B. VanMeter was elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court in November 2016 from the 5th Appellate District, comprising Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Scott, and Woodford Counties. Mar 2, 2023 Updated 4 min ago FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) - The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission on Thursday released its reports in cases involving disciplinary action against two sitting judges, a circuit judge in western Kentucky and a district judge in northern Kentucky. Supreme Court Order 2022-42, the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health (KJCMH) was established. The JEC has withdrawn some of its formal opinions due to changes in the rules, statutes and case law. HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. A Kentucky judge was suspended with pay on Friday following testimony that he pressured a lawyer practicing in his court to support his reelection campaign. Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE), Formal Proceedings, June 13, 2022-Oct. 10, 2022, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, Nov. 4, 2022, Proceedings, including Agreed Order of Suspension, Oct. 21, 2021-May 2, 2022, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, April 22, 2022, Agreed Order of Suspension, April 7, 2021, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, July 13, 2021, Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 4, 2020, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, Aug. 31, 2020, Proceedings - Nov. 18, 2019-Aug. 12, 2020, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Dec. 23, 2019, Agreed Order of Permanent Retirement, Dec. 18, 2019, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, Nov. 7, 2019, Agreed Order of Suspension, Jan. 17, 2019, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, June 12, 2018, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, May 22, 2018, Agreed Order of Suspension, April 2, 2018, Proceedings - Dec. 19, 2017-March 7, 2018, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, Dec. 19, 2017, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, April 13, 2017, Agreed Order of Suspension, March 21, 2017, Agreed Order of Temporary Suspension From Duties Pending Final Adjudication, March 15, 2017, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Feb. 24, 2017, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Jan. 6, 2017, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Dec. 27, 2016, Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 12, 2016, Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 2, 2016, Agreed Order of Disability Retirement, Aug. 23, 2016, Order of Temporary Retirement, May 2, 2016, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, July 7, 2016, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, April 21, 2016, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Dec. 18, 2015, Amended Agreed Order of Suspension, Dec. 7, 2015, Proceedings - April 27, 2015-June 1, 2016, Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 1, 2015, Agreed Order of Suspension, July 10, 2015, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, June 17, 2015, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Dec. 29, 2014, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, July 21, 2014, Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Oct. 7, 2013, Findings of Fact Conclusions of Law and Final Order & Public Reprimand, Aug. 12, 2013, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order & Public Reprimand, Sept. 28, 2012-June 17, 2013, Privately admonish or privately reprimand the judge, Remove the judge from office or, in the case of disability, order the judge to retire from the bench. As part of the misconduct, JudgeJameson exploited his judicial position to satisfy his personal desires. 1Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Oct. 7, 2013, Senior Status Special Judge (former) Martin F. McDonald Findings of Fact Conclusions of Law and Final Order & Public Reprimand, Aug. 12, 2013Proceedings - May 13-Aug. 12, 2013, Circuit Judge Timothy L. Langford, 1st Judicial CircuitFindings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order & Public Reprimand, Sept. 28, 2012-June 17, 2013, Judicial Conduct CommissionP.O. 6Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 12, 2016, Circuit Court Judge Vernon Miniard Jr., 57th Judicial Circuit, Div. Commission proceedings provide a fair and objective means to preserve the integrity of the judicial process. He formerly served on the Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Judicial Form Retirement Systems from 2009 to 2018, serving as chairman of that Board for two terms (2012-16, and 2017-18), with an intervening term as chairman of the Judicial Retirement Fund Investment Committee (2016-17). Prior to being elected to the Supreme Court, Justice VanMeter served thirteen years as a Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, having been elected in November 2003, and being re-elected unopposed in 2006 and 2014. 3. 2Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, Dec. 18, 2015, District Court Judge Sam Potter Jr., 8th Judicial District, Div. Justice VanMeter is married to Fayette Circuit Judge, Lucy A. VanMeter. When needed, the JCC conducts hearings regarding the alleged misconduct. Circuit Judge Atkins Reprimanded By State Judicial Conduct Commission March 2, 2023 News Edge Newsroom News Edge Christian County Chief Circuit Judge John Atkins has received a public reprimand from the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission regarding his conduct in a pair of criminal cases he oversaw. Looking for Murray's WKMS Classical Signal? Expand the delivery and support of Kentucky's civil legal aid programs. Develop and implement initiatives to increase access to the courts and meaningful use of the judicial process, such as creative pro bono opportunities, strategic uses of technology and enhanced community education. He admitted that his behavior in the videos may have reflected a quick trigger or been the result of particularly stressful days, but he largely defended his actions as necessary to preserve courtroom decorum and punish unacceptable behavior. In January 2018 . 03/3 . endstream endobj startxref Noteworthy events Misconduct charges filed (2011) The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission publicly announced in late March 2011 that it was investigating 20 counts of judicial misconduct against . Emailassign@whas11.com, visit ourFacebook pageorTwitter feed. specialist judicial experience of at least five years in the civil/commercial division of a superior court of record is highly desirable; and experience of the trial of criminal and complex financial cases will be an asset. Propriety and the The Judicial Conduct Commission found Shan guilty of engaging in the following misconduct. He is a Fellow of the University of Kentucky, a Life Fellow of the Kentucky Bar Foundation, and a Founding Fellow of the Fayette County Bar Foundation. All rights reserved. Jamesons legal representation argues the facts and opinions that led the commission to make these charges were submitted by individuals who seek to provide political benefit to Jamesons election opponent, Andrea Moore, in his bid for reelection this fall. 1Agreed Order of Suspension, Sept. 2, 2016, Family Court Judge Lisa Osborne Bushelman, 16th Judicial Circuit, Family Div. Updated July 14, 2021 4:15 PM A former Bullitt County master commissioner was publicly reprimanded Tuesday by the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission over an accusation that he. Download the WHAS11 News app now. Partner with other service providers to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the statewide delivery system. Justice VanMeter was born in 1958 in Lexington, and was raised in Winchester. 2022 Kentucky Court of Justice. The Supreme Court affirmed the findings of fact, conclusions of law and final order issuing a public reprimand against Beth Lewis Maze, Judge of the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit, Second Division, holding that the Judicial Conduct Commission appropriately issued a public reprimand. The evidence to sustain the charges before the Commission must be "clear and convincing." Identify and remove barriers impeding access to the courts. 17Agreed Order of Public Reprimand, July 21, 2014, District Court Judge Rebecca S. Ward, 55th Judicial Circuit, Div. Kenton County District Judge Ann Ruttle among two disciplined by KY Judicial Conduct Commission. If a complaint results in a hearing, the JCC provides the judge under review with the information compiled during the commissions investigation, including the name of the person who filed the complaint, if relevant. 2022 Kentucky Court of Justice. Count IV: That Jameson used his influence and the prestige of his office to pressure people to donate to or support his political campaign. The Judicial Ethics Committee operates under It is the Commissionsconclusion that there are other, deep-seated issues to be addressed with Judge Jameson butthese are well beyond the jurisdiction of the Commission.".