District Court judges from across the state participated in sessions on criminal evidence, forensics, implicit bias, legislation and more at the 2017 District Judges College in Covington recently. The Education Committee of the Kentucky District Judges Association and the Office of Judicial Branch Education at the Administrative Office of the Courts developed the college.
“District judges come from all over Kentucky to spend time together at our annual colleges,” said District Court Judge John M. McCarty, who serves Butler, Edmonson, Hancock and Ohio counties and was elected president of the Kentucky District Judges Association at the college.
“There’s tremendous value in sharing successes and challenges, learning best practices for District Court, getting updates on new legislation and being introduced to the latest technology. These colleges sharpen our skills and equip us to better serve those who come before our courts.”
Among legislation covered at the college was Senate Bill 120, a criminal justice reform bill that took effect June 29. The legislation allows people convicted of felonies to gain work experience and wages while incarcerated, reduces probation and parole times for certain offenders and prevents people from being jailed for not being able to pay court costs. The session covered new rules and best practices.
The judges also attended sessions on polygraph, search and seizure, family law, guardianship, social media and ethics, and substance abuse and mental health topics. The 2017 General Assembly passed Tim’s Law to let District Court judges order outpatient treatment for certain people with severe mental illness after receiving a petition from the person’s family, friends or legal guardians, or law enforcement or medical professionals.
Another session covered “Alive at 25,” a defensive-driving program the Kentucky State Police and National Safety Council provide in Kentucky for citizens who are 16-24 years old. Judges heard about how they can help bring the program to their communities and use it in sentencing young drivers.
The judges also had the opportunity to meet with Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. and AOC Director Laurie K. Dudgeon.
The college included 15.5 hours of continuing judicial education credit for the district judges.
District Court judges handle juvenile matters, city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, felony probable cause hearings, small claims involving $2,500 or less, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, voluntary and involuntary mental commitments and cases relating to domestic violence and abuse.
The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,400 court system employees and 404 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
Many judges serve more than one county. By counties in each judicial district, District Court judges who attended the college include:
Adair and Casey counties
District Court Judge Michael Loy
Allen and Simpson counties
District Court Judge Martha Blair Harrison
Anderson, Shelby and Spencer counties
District Court Judge Donna G. Dutton
District Court Judge J.R. RoBards
Barren and Metcalfe counties
District Court Judge J. Gabriel
Pendleton, Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties
District Court Judge Don Blair
District Court Judge William W. Roberts
Bell County
Bell County District Court Judge Robert T. Yoakum
Boone and Gallatin counties
District Court Judge Charles T. Moore
District Court Judge Jeffrey S. Smith
Bourbon, Scott and Woodford counties
District Court Judge Vanessa M. Dickson
District Court Judge Mary Jane Phelps
Boyd County
Boyd County District Court Judge Gerald B. Reams Jr.
Boyle and Mercer counties
District Court Judge Jeff L. Dotson
Bracken, Fleming and Mason counties
District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schumacher
Breckinridge, Grayson and Meade counties
District Court Judge Shan F. Embry
District Court Judge Kenneth Harold Goff II
Bullitt County
Bullitt County District Court Judge Jennifer E. Porter
Bullitt County District Court Judge Rebecca S. Ward
Butler, Edmonson, Hancock and Ohio counties
District Court Judge Joseph Brett “J.B.” Hines
District Court Judge John M. McCarty
Caldwell, Livingston, Lyon and Trigg counties
District Court Judge Jill Clark
Calloway County
Calloway County District Court Judge Randall A. Hutchens
Campbell County
Campbell County District Court Judge Cameron J. Blau
Campbell County District Court Judge Karen A. Thomas
Carroll, Grant and Owen counties
District Court Judge Elizabeth A. Chandler
District Court Judge Thomas M. Funk
Carter, Elliott and Morgan counties
District Court Judge H. Rupert Wilhoit III
Christian County
Christian County District Court Judge James G. Adams Jr.
Christian County District Court Judge J. Foster Cotthoff
Clark and Madison counties
District Court Judge Brandy O. Brown
District Court Judge Charles W. Hardin
District Court Judge Earl-Ray Neal
Clay, Jackson and Leslie counties
District Court Judge Henria Bailey-Lewis
District Court Judge Allen B. Roberts
Clinton, Russell and Wayne counties
District Court Judge James M. Lawson
Crittenden, Union and Webster counties
District Court Judge Daniel M. Heady
Cumberland and Monroe counties
District Court Judge Kristi Renee Castillo
Daviess County
Daviess County District Court Judge Daniel M. “Nick” Burlew II
Daviess County District Court Judge Lisa P. Jones
Daviess County District Court Judge David C. Payne
Estill, Lee and Owsley counties
District Court Judge William “Bo” Leach
Fayette County
Fayette County District Court Judge T. Bruce Bell
Fayette County District Court Judge Joseph T. Bouvier
Fayette County District Court Judge Julie Muth Goodman
Fayette County District Court Judge Megan Lake Thornton
Fayette County District Court Judge Kim M. Wilkie
Floyd County
Floyd County District Court Judge Eric D. Hall
Floyd County District Court Judge Jimmy R. Marcum
Franklin County
Franklin County District Court Judge Kathy R. Mangeot
Franklin County District Court Judge Chris Olds
Fulton and Hickman counties
District Court Judge Hunter B. Whitesell II
Garrard, Jessamine and Lincoln counties
District Court Judge Janet C. Booth
District Court Judge Bill Oliver
Graves County
Graves County District Court Judge Deborah Hawkins Crooks
Green, Marion, Taylor and Washington counties
District Court Judge Amy S. Anderson
Hardin County
Hardin County District Court Judge Kimberly W. Shumate
Hardin County District Court Judge John D. Simcoe
Harlan County
Harlan County District Court Judge Scott Lisenbee
Harrison, Nicholas, Pendleton and Robertson counties
District Court Judge Charles W. Kuster Jr.
Hart and LaRue counties
District Court Judge C. Derek Reed
Henderson County
Henderson County District Court Judge Jill Brady
Henderson County District Court Judge Charles R. McCollom III
Henry, Oldham and Trimble counties
District Court Judge Jerry D. Crosby
District Court Judge Diana E. Wheeler
Hopkins County
Hopkins County District Court Judge David G. Massamore
Hopkins County District Court Judge William R. Whitledge
Jefferson County
Jefferson District Court Judge David P. Bowles
Jefferson District Court Judge Stephanie Pearce Burke
Jefferson District Court Judge Anne Delahanty
Jefferson District Court Judge Sean R. Delahanty
Jefferson District Court Judge Eric J. Haner
Jefferson District Court Judge Anne Haynie
Jefferson District Court Judge L.J. “Todd” Hollenbach IV
Jefferson District Court Judge Annette Karem
Jefferson District Court Judge Katie King
Jefferson District Court Judge Jessica Ann Moore
Jefferson District Court Judge Sara Michael Nicholson
Jefferson District Court Judge Jennifer Bryant Wilcox
Jefferson District Judge Erica Lee Williams
Jefferson District Judge Amber B. Wolf
Johnson, Lawrence and Martin counties
District Court Judge John T. Chafin
District Court Judge John Keith Holbrook
Kenton County
Kenton County District Court Judge Kenneth L. Easterling
Kenton County District Court Judge Douglas J. Grothaus
Kenton County District Court Judge Ann Ruttle
Knott and Magoffin counties
District Court Judge Dennis B. Prater
Knox and Laurel counties
District Court Judge John Paul Chappell
Letcher County
Letcher County District Court Judge Kevin R. Mullins
Logan and Todd counties
District Court Judge Kenneth R. Williams Jr.
McCracken County
McCracken County District Court Judge Chris Hollowell
McCreary and Whitley counties
District Court Judge Fred F. White
McLean and Muhlenberg counties
District Court Judge Brian Crick
Perry County
Perry County District Court Judge Leigh Anne Stephens
Pike County
Pike County District Court Judge Kelsey E. Friend Jr.
Pike County District Court Judge Darrel H. Mullins
Pulaski and Rockcastle counties
District Court Judge Jeffrey Scott Lawless
District Court Judge Kathryn G. Wood
Warren County
Warren County District Court Judge John B. Brown
Warren County District Court Judge Sam Potter Jr.
