Kentucky Court of Appeals
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky
's two appellate court
s, under the Kentucky Supreme Court
. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has 14 members. Two members are elected from each of seven districts and serve eight year terms of office. The Kentucky Court of Appeals judges are elected from districts that mirror the seven districts which elect the seven justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky. The 14 judges select one colleague to serve as chief judge for a four year term. The chief judge assigns judges and cases to panels. The current chief judge is Jeff S. Taylor.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals usually sits in three judge panels. Membership of the panels rotate so that all judges sit on at least one panel with each of their colleagues in any given year. Usually one judge is chosen to author the majority opinion for each panel in a particular case.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has a headquarters building and courtroom in Frankfort
, the state capital, but unlike the Kentucky Supreme Court the three judge panels of the Kentucky Court of Appeals frequently hear cases in courthouses all over Kentucky.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals hears appeals from the Kentucky Circuit Courts
, with the exception of criminal cases involving sentences of death
, life imprisonment
or imprisonment of twenty years or more, which are taken directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court. In addition, original actions may be filed with the Kentucky Court of Appeals in certain situations.
Prior to the 1975 constitutional amendment the Clerk of the Court of Appeals was an elected position. This elected position was abolished by the 1975 constitutional amendment. Former governor Martha Layne Collins
served as Clerk of the Court of Appeals before her election as Lieutenant Governor
and Governor of Kentucky
.
Kentucky judges were elected on a partisan ballot until 1976. A 1976 law now mandates nonpartisan judicial elections in Kentucky.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's two appellate court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
s, under the Kentucky Supreme Court
Kentucky Supreme Court
The Kentucky Supreme Court was created by a 1975 constitutional amendment and is the state supreme court of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Prior to that the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky...
. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has 14 members. Two members are elected from each of seven districts and serve eight year terms of office. The Kentucky Court of Appeals judges are elected from districts that mirror the seven districts which elect the seven justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky. The 14 judges select one colleague to serve as chief judge for a four year term. The chief judge assigns judges and cases to panels. The current chief judge is Jeff S. Taylor.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals usually sits in three judge panels. Membership of the panels rotate so that all judges sit on at least one panel with each of their colleagues in any given year. Usually one judge is chosen to author the majority opinion for each panel in a particular case.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has a headquarters building and courtroom in Frankfort
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
, the state capital, but unlike the Kentucky Supreme Court the three judge panels of the Kentucky Court of Appeals frequently hear cases in courthouses all over Kentucky.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals hears appeals from the Kentucky Circuit Courts
Kentucky Circuit Courts
The Kentucky Circuit Courts are the state courts of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Kentucky.The Circuit Courts are trial courts with original jurisdiction in cases involving capital offenses, felonies, land disputes, contested probates of wills, and civil lawsuits in disputes with an...
, with the exception of criminal cases involving sentences of death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
or imprisonment of twenty years or more, which are taken directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court. In addition, original actions may be filed with the Kentucky Court of Appeals in certain situations.
Prior to the 1975 constitutional amendment the Clerk of the Court of Appeals was an elected position. This elected position was abolished by the 1975 constitutional amendment. Former governor Martha Layne Collins
Martha Layne Collins
Martha Layne Collins is a politician from the US state of Kentucky. From 1983 to 1987 she was the 56th Governor of Kentucky, having served the previous four years as lieutenant governor. She was Kentucky's first and only female governor to date...
served as Clerk of the Court of Appeals before her election as Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions, beginning in 1797. The lieutenant governor serves as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to the Vice President of the United States assuming the powers of the presidency...
and Governor of Kentucky
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
.
Kentucky judges were elected on a partisan ballot until 1976. A 1976 law now mandates nonpartisan judicial elections in Kentucky.
Judges
| Judge | District/Division | Date Service Began |
|---|---|---|
| Jeff S. Taylor (Chief Judge) | 2nd District, 1st Division | 2003 |
| Christopher Shea Nickell | 1st District, 1st Division | 2006 |
| Donna L. Dixon | 1st District, 2nd Division | 2006 |
| Kelly Thompson | 2nd District, 2nd Division | 2006 |
| Michael Caperton | 3rd District, 1st Division | 2008 |
| James H. Lambert | 3rd District, 2nd Division | 2006 |
| Thomas B. Wine | 4th District, 1st Division | 2006 |
| Denise M. Clayton | 4th District, 2nd Division | 2007 |
| Laurance B. VanMeter | 5th District, 1st Division | 2003 |
| Glenn E Acree | 5th District, 2nd Division | 2006 |
| Michelle M. Keller | 6th District, 1st Division | 2006 |
| Joy A. Moore | 6th District, 2nd Division | 2006 |
| Sara Walter Combs | 7th District, 1st Division | 1994 |
| Janet L. Stumbo | 7th District, 2nd Division | 2006 |