The Judicial Nominating Commission, led by Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr., announced the nominees to fill a judicial vacancy in Kenton County Circuit Court. Kenton makes up the 16th Judicial Circuit and the vacancy is in the circuit’s Division 3.
The judicial seat will become vacant when Judge Gregory M. Bartlett retires Dec. 31.
The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Aaron John Currin of Fort Wright, Jason Edward Hiltz of Park Hills and Mary Kathleen (Kate) Molloy of Crescent Springs.
Judge Gregory Bartlett, retiring
Aaron John Currin has been in practice for 17 years, serving most of those as a public defender with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy in Northern Kentucky counties and Fayette County. He worked for the DPA from 2004-2015 and from 2017-present. From 2015-2017, he represented clients appealing death penalty sentences in Idaho. He received his juris doctor from Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law.
Jason Edward Hiltz has been in practice for 20 years, serving his entire career as a prosecutor in Northern Kentucky. In January 2019, he began work as the first assistant commonwealth’s attorney for the 54th Judicial Circuit of Boone and Gallatin counties. He previously served as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney for the 54th Judicial Circuit, the 15th Judicial Circuit of Carroll, Grant, and Owen counties, and as assistant county attorney for Boone and Kenton counties. He received his juris doctor from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law.
Mary Kathleen Molloy has been in practice for more than 30 years and has served as a senior staff attorney for the Supreme Court of Kentucky since 2015. She was previously in private practice. She received her juris doctor from Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law.
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.
