Kentucky Court of Appeals

Appellate Court Districts

The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in Kentucky. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution that created the Kentucky Supreme Court, the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in the state.

The court consists of 14 members who serve eight-year terms. The court hears cases normally in three-judge panels, with membership in the panels rotating so all judges sit on at least one panel with each of their colleagues every year. The court is headquartered in Frankfort, Kentucky, but the three-judge panels hear cases in courtrooms throughout the state.

• Published opinions of the Kentucky Court of Appeals can be found here.

 

Kentucky Court of Appeals
Court information
Judges:	14
Salary:	Associates: $168,191
Judicial selection
Method:	Nonpartisan election of judges
Term:	8 years

Judges

Office	Name	Party	Date assumed office
Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1	Chris McNeill	Nonpartisan	2020
Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2	Lisa Payne Jones	Nonpartisan	April 29, 2024
Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 1	Jeff Taylor	Nonpartisan	January 5, 2004
Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 2	Kelly Mark Easton	Nonpartisan	January 2, 2023
Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1	Jacqueline Caldwell	Nonpartisan	December 6, 2019
Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 2	James H. Lambert	Nonpartisan	January 1, 2007
Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 1	Audra Jean Eckerle	Nonpartisan	January 2, 2023
Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2	Annette Karem	Nonpartisan	January 2, 2023
Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1	Will Moynahan	Nonpartisan	April 22, 2025
Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 2	Glenn E. Acree	Nonpartisan	2006
Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 1	Allison Jones	Nonpartisan	2013
Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 2	Susanne Mowery Cetrulo	Nonpartisan	September 25, 2021
Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 1	Sara Walter Combs	Nonpartisan	1994
Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2	Larry E. Thompson	Nonpartisan	January 7, 2019

Salary

See also: Kentucky court salaries and budgets

In 2025, the associate judges of the court received a salary of $168,191, according to the National Center for State Courts.

Jurisdiction

The Kentucky Court of Appeals hears appeals from the district and circuit courts in Kentucky. When losing parties are unsatisfied with the trial court's decision, they can seek a review of the lower court's decisions from the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Cases are not retried by the Kentucky Court of Appeals, instead the original trial is reviewed and attorneys present legal issues to the court for a decision.

Child custody and property rights decisions in divorce cases may be appealed, however, criminal case acquittals and divorces cannot. Cases involving death sentences, life imprisonment, or imprisonment of 20 or more years are appealed directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court. Original actions can be filed with the Kentucky Court of Appeals under certain situations.

Court of Appeals District	Counties Served
First District	Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman, Fulton, Graves, McCracken, Calloway, Marshall, Livingston, Crittenden, Lyon, Caldwell, Trigg, Webster, Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg, Butler, Edmonson, Christian, Todd, Logan, Simpson and Allen
Second District	Union, Henderson, Daviess, Hancock, Ohio, Breckinridge, Meade, Bullitt, Hardin, Grayson, Larue, Hart, Warren and Barren
Third District	Nelson, Washington, Marion, Green, Taylor, Casey, Adair, Metcalfe, Russell, Monroe, Cumberland, Clinton, Lincoln, Garrard, Rockcastle, Jackson, Lee, Estill, Pulaski, Laurel, Clay, Leslie, Wayne, McCreary, Whitley, Knox and Bell
Fourth District	Jefferson
Fifth District	Anderson, Franklin, Scott, Woodford, Fayette, Bourbon, Mercer, Boyle, Jessamine, Clark and Madison
Sixth District	Oldham, Trimble, Carroll, Gallatin, Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Pendleton, Spencer, Shelby, Henry, Owen, Grant, Harrison, Bracken, Mason, Robertson, Nicholas, Fleming, Bath and Lewis
Seventh District	Montgomery, Powell, Menifee, Rowan, Carter, Greenup, Elliott, Boyd, Lawrence, Wolfe, Morgan, Magoffin, Johnson, Martin, Floyd, Owsley, Breathitt, Perry, Knott, Pike, Harlan, Letcher

Judicial selection

See also: Judicial selection in Kentucky

The fourteen judges of the Kentucky Court of Appeals are elected to eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. They must run for re-election if they wish to serve subsequent terms.

Qualifications

To serve on the Kentucky Court of Appeals, the judge must be:

“

a citizen of the United States, a resident of both the Commonwealth, and of the district from which he is elected for two years next preceding his taking office, licensed to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth, and a licensed attorney for at least eight years.

”

Chief judge

The judges of the Kentucky Court of Appeals select one colleague to serve as chief judge for a four-year term. The chief judge assigns judges to their panels and designates cases for each panel.

Vacancies

If a midterm vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a successor from a list of three names provided by the Kentucky Judicial Nominating Commission. If the term the appointee will fill expires at the next election, the appointment is for the remainder of the term. If the term does not expire at the next election and that election is more than three months away, the appointee must stand for election, and the election is for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the term does not expire at the next election, but the election is less than three months away, the appointee must stand for election in the election following the next. The election is for the remainder of the unexpired term, if any; if none of the term is left, the election is for a full term.

Elections

• 2030
• 2026
• 2024
• 2022
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018

See also: Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2030

Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 1

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 1

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 1

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 1

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1

See also: Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2026

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2

See also: Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2024

General election

Special general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2

Incumbent Lisa Payne Jones (Nonpartisan) defeated Jason Shea Fleming (Nonpartisan) in the special general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lisa Payne Jones (Nonpartisan)	63.1	119,548
		Jason Shea Fleming (Nonpartisan)	36.9	69,768

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 189,316
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 21, 2024, was canceled. Incumbent Lisa Payne Jones (Nonpartisan) and Jason Shea Fleming (Nonpartisan) advanced from the special primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

See also: Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2022

Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1

Incumbent Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan)	100.0	112,597

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 112,597
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2

Incumbent Donna Dixon (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Donna Dixon (Nonpartisan)	100.0	111,833

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 111,833
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Donna Dixon (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 1

Incumbent Jeff Taylor (Nonpartisan) defeated David Clement (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeff Taylor (Nonpartisan)	62.3	69,982
	Submit photo	David Clement (Nonpartisan)	37.7	42,264

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 112,246
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Jeff Taylor (Nonpartisan) and David Clement (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 2

Kelly Mark Easton (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Kelly Mark Easton (Nonpartisan)	100.0	100,856

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 100,856
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Kelly Mark Easton (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 2nd Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1

Incumbent Jacqueline Caldwell (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jacqueline Caldwell (Nonpartisan)	100.0	110,011

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 110,011
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Jacqueline Caldwell (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 2

Incumbent James H. Lambert (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James H. Lambert (Nonpartisan)	100.0	110,550

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 110,550
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent James H. Lambert (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 1

Audra Jean Eckerle (Nonpartisan) defeated Tricia Lister (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Audra Jean Eckerle (Nonpartisan)	58.9	121,461
		Tricia Lister (Nonpartisan)	41.1	84,762

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 206,223
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Audra Jean Eckerle (Nonpartisan) and Tricia Lister (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2

Annette Karem (Nonpartisan) defeated McKenzie Cantrell (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annette Karem (Nonpartisan)	50.9	103,062
		McKenzie Cantrell (Nonpartisan)	49.1	99,407

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 202,469
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2

Annette Karem (Nonpartisan) and McKenzie Cantrell (Nonpartisan) defeated Stan Whetzel (Nonpartisan) in the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 4th Division 2 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Annette Karem (Nonpartisan)	50.6	55,931
✔		McKenzie Cantrell (Nonpartisan)	37.8	41,753
		Stan Whetzel (Nonpartisan)	11.6	12,791

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 110,475
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1

Incumbent Pamela R. Goodwine (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pamela R. Goodwine (Nonpartisan)	100.0	132,184

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 132,184
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Pamela R. Goodwine (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 2

Incumbent Glenn E. Acree (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Glenn E. Acree (Nonpartisan)	100.0	117,271

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 117,271
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Glenn E. Acree (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 1

Incumbent Allison Jones (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Allison Jones (Nonpartisan)	100.0	117,304

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 117,304
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Allison Jones (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 2

Incumbent Susanne Mowery Cetrulo (Nonpartisan) defeated Robert Winter (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Susanne Mowery Cetrulo (Nonpartisan)	54.7	83,085
		Robert Winter (Nonpartisan)	45.3	68,738

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 151,823
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Susanne Mowery Cetrulo (Nonpartisan) and Robert Winter (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 6th Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 1

Incumbent Sara Walter Combs (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sara Walter Combs (Nonpartisan)	100.0	100,963

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 100,963
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Sara Walter Combs (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2

Incumbent Larry E. Thompson (Nonpartisan) won election in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Larry E. Thompson (Nonpartisan)	100.0	99,131

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 99,131
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 17, 2022, was canceled. Incumbent Larry E. Thompson (Nonpartisan) advanced from the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1

See also: Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2020

General election

Special general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1

Incumbent Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan) defeated Jenny Hines (Nonpartisan) in the special general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan)	54.2	94,869
		Jenny Hines (Nonpartisan)	45.8	80,178

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 175,047
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

Special Nonpartisan primary election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1

Incumbent Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan) and Jenny Hines (Nonpartisan) defeated C. Rene Williams (Nonpartisan) in the special primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 1st Division 1 on June 23, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chris McNeill (Nonpartisan)	45.1	35,375
✔		Jenny Hines (Nonpartisan)	33.6	26,334
	Submit photo	C. Rene Williams (Nonpartisan)	21.2	16,642

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 78,351
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jason Coltharp (Nonpartisan)

Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1

See also: Kentucky intermediate appellate court elections, 2019

General election

Special general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1

Jacqueline Caldwell (Nonpartisan) defeated Michael Caperton (Nonpartisan) in the special general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1 on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jacqueline Caldwell (Nonpartisan)	53.7	62,851
		Michael Caperton (Nonpartisan)	46.3	54,098

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 116,949
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 21, 2019, was canceled. Jacqueline Caldwell (Nonpartisan) and Michael Caperton (Nonpartisan) advanced from the special primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 3rd Division 1 without appearing on the ballot.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1

Pamela R. Goodwine (Nonpartisan) defeated incumbent Robert Johnson (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 5th Division 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pamela R. Goodwine (Nonpartisan)	56.1	126,373
	Submit photo	Robert Johnson (Nonpartisan)	43.9	98,861

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 225,234 (100% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

The primary scheduled for May 22, 2018, was canceled.

Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2

General election

General election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2

Larry E. Thompson (Nonpartisan) defeated David Allen Barber (Nonpartisan) in the general election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Larry E. Thompson (Nonpartisan)	53.9	64,551
		David Allen Barber (Nonpartisan)	46.1	55,310

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,861 (100% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2

The following candidates ran in the primary for Kentucky Court of Appeals 7th Division 2 on May 22, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Allen Barber (Nonpartisan)	22.0	22,746
✔		Larry E. Thompson (Nonpartisan)	18.6	19,167
	Submit photo	Gene Smallwood Jr. (Nonpartisan)	17.2	17,715
		Kevin Sinnette (Nonpartisan)	14.5	14,993
	Submit photo	Jim Vanover (Nonpartisan)	14.4	14,816
	Submit photo	Donald Combs (Nonpartisan)	13.4	13,801

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 103,238
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Marcia Wireman (Nonpartisan)

Previous election results

2014

See also: Kentucky judicial elections, 2014

Unopposed	Judge Christopher Nickell (1st District, 1st Division)

Unopposed	Judge Donna Dixon (1st District, 2nd Division)

Unopposed	Judge Jeff Taylor (Kentucky judge) (2nd District, 1st Division)

2nd District, 2nd Division

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
FlenerMark H. Flener	No	28.6%A	30.0%   D
ThompsonKelly Thompson (Kentucky)A	Yes	63.4%A	70.0%   A
OnyekwulujeOsi Onyekwuluje	No	8.0%

3rd District, 1st Division

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
LambertDebra Hembree LambertA	No		53.4%   A
CapertonMichael Caperton	Yes		46.6%   D

3rd District, 2nd Division

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
LambertJames LambertA	Yes		70.0%   A
HendersonPaul F. Henderson	No		30.0%   D

Unopposed	Judge Irv Maze (4th District, 1st Division)

Unopposed	Stan Whetzel (4th District, 2nd Division)

Unopposed	Judge Laurance VanMeter (5th District, 1st Division)

Unopposed	Judge Glenn Acree (5th District, 2nd Division)

6th District, 1st Division

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
JonesAllison JonesA	Yes		60.8%   A
SandersJustin Sanders	No		39.2%   D

Unopposed	Judge Joy A. Kramer (6th District, 2nd Division)

Unopposed	Judge Sara Combs (7th District, 1st Division)

7th District, 2nd Division

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
StumboJanet StumboA	Yes		64.5%   A
VarneyW. Kent Varney	No		35.5%   D

2012

See also: Kentucky judicial elections, 2012

Candidate	Incumbency	Primary Vote	Election Vote
MazeIrv Maze	No	40%	50.79%
ShakeJim Shake	No	38%	49.21%
Cox PenceRuth Ann Cox Pence	No	22%

Ethics

The Kentucky Code of Judicial Conduct sets forth ethical guidelines and principles for the conduct of judges and judicial candidates in Kentucky. It consists of five overarching canons:

“

Canon 1: A judge shall uphold and promote the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety. Canon 2: A judge shall perform the duties of judicial office impartially, competently, and diligently. Canon 3: A judge shall conduct the judge's personal and extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with the obligations of judicial office. Canon 4: A judge or candidate for judicial office shall not engage in political or campaign activity that is inconsistent with the independence, integrity, or impartiality of the judiciary. This canon is to be interpreted consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, other constitutional requirements, statutes, other court rules, and decisional law.

”

The full text of the Kentucky Code of Judicial Conduct can be found here.

Removal of judges

Any judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals can be removed by the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission. The commission is composed of the following:

• One judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals (selected by that court)
• One district court judge
• One circuit court judge
• One member of the Kentucky Bar Association
• Two persons appointed by the governor of Kentucky who are not judges or attorneys

Any individual or group may file a complaint against a sitting judge for possible judicial misconduct or wrongdoing.

Alternatively, judges may also be impeached by the Kentucky House of Representatives and convicted by a two-thirds vote of the Kentucky Senate.

State profile

Demographic data for Kentucky
	Kentucky	U.S.
Total population:	4,424,611	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	39,486	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	87.6%	73.6%
Black/African American:	7.9%	12.6%
Asian:	1.3%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.1%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	3.3%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	84.2%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	22.3%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$43,740	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	22.7%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Kentucky. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Kentucky

Kentucky voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Kentucky, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Kentucky had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Kentucky coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Kentucky
• United States congressional delegations from Kentucky
• Public policy in Kentucky
• Endorsers in Kentucky
• Kentucky fact checks
• More...

See also

Kentucky	Judicial Selection	More Courts
Courts in Kentucky Kentucky Court of Appeals Kentucky Supreme Court	Elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 Gubernatorial appointments Judicial selection in Kentucky	Federal courts State courts Local courts

External links

• Kentucky Court of Justice, "Court of Appeals"

Footnotes

Kentucky courts

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Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky

State courts:

Kentucky Supreme Court • Kentucky Court of Appeals • Kentucky Circuit Courts • Kentucky District Courts • Kentucky Family Court

State resources:

Courts in Kentucky • Kentucky judicial elections • Judicial selection in Kentucky