A message from KBA President Rhonda Jennings Blackburn

Watch KBA President Rhonda Jennings Blackburn deliver important updates and information to our members. Did you miss last month’s message? View it here.

Justice Conley named Deputy Chief Justice

Chief Justice-elect Debra Hembree Lambert has appointed Justice Robert B. Conley as deputy chief justice. The deputy chief justice fills in when the chief justice recuses in a case or an administrative matter before the Supreme Court of Kentucky. “Justice Conley is a man of exceptional character and good judgment,” Justice Lambert said. “I know he will ably serve in this new role with integrity and will do all he can to advance the work of the Court of Justice.” Justice Lambert, who is the current deputy chief justice, and Deputy Chief Justice Conley will begin serving Jan. 6, 2025. Justice Conley was elected from the 7th Supreme Court District of 32 counties in Eastern Kentucky and has served on the court since January 2021. He joined the state’s highest court after 26 years as a trial court judge for Greenup and Lewis counties.

2024 Judicial Nominating Commission General Election Information

Pursuant to SCR 7, general elections for all attorney members of the Judicial Nominating Commission will take place in 2024. Members are to vote in the Circuit and/or District in which they reside. In preparation for these elections, we ask that you log in to verify your county of residence so that you may receive the correct ballots for voting purposes. To view the list of candidates nominated by the Board of Governors and candidates nominated by petition, click here. The elections will be via electronic voting through BallotBox an online voting system. Ballots for the Judicial Nominating Commission elections will be emailed from BallotBox on Tuesday, November 5th. Members will not receive a paper ballot. If you have any questions, contact the Membership Department at membership@kybar.org.

KBA Strategic Plan Survey

The Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) will again be participating in a strategic planning session, and we need your help! Members will receive an email from the KBA in mid-November with a link to our strategic planning survey. We ask for your participation and feedback to assist us with our planning process so that we can stay responsive to the needs of Kentucky lawyers and the legal profession. Your responses to this survey are confidential and will be compiled and analyzed by the ABA Center for Bar Leadership. We look forward to receiving your input. Be on the lookout for the survey coming your way soon.

2025 Distinguished Service Awards Call for Nominations

The Kentucky Bar Association is accepting nominations for the 2025 Distinguished Judge and Lawyer, Donated Legal Services and Bruce K. Davis Bar Service Awards. Nominations must be received by December 31, 2024. If you are aware of a Kentucky judge or lawyer who has provided exceptional service in these areas, please call (502) 564-3795 to request a nominating form or download it from our website.

KY courts set guiding principles for new CMS First installment of planned monthly eCourts updates

The Administrative Office of the Courts launched its next-generation eCourts initiative in October at its main campus in Frankfort. This follows the recent agreement with Tyler Technologies to enhance eFiling and implement a new trial court case management system for circuit and district courts. The eFiling enhancement, known as File & Serve, will go live in Jefferson County in the summer of 2025 and in Fayette County in the fall of 2025. Statewide implementation is scheduled to begin thereafter. The new CMS, known as Enterprise Justice, will go live in Fayette, Hart, LaRue and Nelson counties in late summer 2026. The go lives will include financial and judicial tools from the software suite. Statewide implementation is anticipated to begin in 2027. The go-live dates are not pilot phases. The intent is to roll out these systems in the selected counties with fully functional products. While some adjustments may occur post-implementation, they will likely be limited to legislative updates or software refinements. The AOC is implementing the CMS on an accelerated timeline, guided by principles adopted by the Supreme Court of Kentucky earlier this year. Supreme Court Administrative Order 2024-12 serves as the blueprint moving forward:

1. Elected officials and KCOJ Personnel will be provided with tools needed to facilitate just, prompt, and safe resolutions of court matters. 2. The implementation of a new trial court case management system is an opportunity to standardize court processes statewide and create a technological foundation for future growth and effective operations. 3. Software customization of a new trial court case management system will only occur if required by law. This will ensure process uniformity, reduce overall cost, and promote sustainability. 4. Organizational change management is critical to the success of the implementation of a new trial case management system and will require an ongoing resource investment. 5. The trial court case management system subcommittee and implementation project teams must include broad representation of the trial courts. 6. A substantial commitment of concentrated time from elected officials and KCOJ personnel will be required for project success. 7. Communication with the vendor will be in a clear, consistent, and uniform approach and only as provided in the new trial case management system contract. Comments, questions, or requests must go through the project manager designated by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Check out the KBA eNews each month for updates on the AOC’s progress with implementing the new CMS and eFiling enhancement.

AOC offering training for potential guardians ad litem, parent attorneys in November

Kentucky attorneys interested in serving as guardians ad litem and parent attorneys are invited to the legal training hosted by the Administrative Office of the Courts in November. The training is accredited for 6.25 CLE credits, which includes one hour of ethics. Registration is required. GALs are court-appointed attorneys who represent children in dependency, neglect and abuse court cases. Separate attorneys are appointed to represent parents in DNA proceedings. The training is to help attorneys better understand the impact of the court system and of GALs and parent attorneys on the people they represent. GALs and parent attorneys are required to complete the AOC legal training per FCRPP 37(1) of the Supreme Court of Kentucky’s Family Court Rules of Procedure and Practice, a comprehensive set of statewide rules and standards governing court-appointed attorneys in child welfare cases.

DNA Trainings Nov. 8 Hopkins County Judicial Center 120 E. Center St. Madisonville, KY 42431 Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CST Nov. 18 Administrative Office of the Courts 1001 Vandalay Drive Frankfort, KY 40601 Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST Nov. 20 Boyd Convention and Arts Center 15605 State Route 180 Catlettsburg, KY 41129 Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. EST

Joint Local Rules Announcement

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2071, Rule 83 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Rule 57 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky hereby give public notice of the following: The Joint Local Rules Commission for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky has recommended, and the District Court has authorized for release for a period of public comment through December 16, 2024, the adoption and revision of certain Joint Local Rules of Civil Practice and Joint Local Rules of Criminal Practice. Unless otherwise indicated, as seen in this Notice, underlined text is added and struck text is deleted in rules to be amended. Review the proposed new rules and revisions here.

KBA Military Law Committee Secures New Name

The Kentucky Bar Association’s Military Law Committee has updated their name so that it expressly states that the committee is for those in uniform and for those who previously served and are now veterans. The KBA Board of Governors officially approved the request at their September meeting and the committee will now be known as the Military and Veterans Law Committee. In addition to the name change, the committee has formally created an email address so that attorneys and citizens can send questions and comments directly to the committee leadership. Email them now at milvetlaw@kybar.org. The Miliary and Veterans Law Committee is also pleased to present a flier created to inform attorneys of the importance of being aware of the military and veteran population in their community. This notice will be provided to the local bar associations to disseminate to their members. It will also be shared with local veteran service organizations.

Eastern Kentucky Free Will-Writing Clinics Done for 2024, Will Renew in Spring 2025

The Kentucky-based non-profit Livelihood Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN) partnered with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and volunteer attorneys to hold eight Free Will-Writing Clinics across seven counties in Eastern Kentucky. Their last clinic of the 2024 season, which ran from March to November, will happen in Prestonsburg, Floyd County, on November 19th from 1 PM - 6 PM. With an average of 14 wills written per clinic, volunteer attorneys have written 99 wills at clinics organized by LiKEN this year. This effort is part of LiKEN’s Appalachian Heirs' Property Coalition, a grant-funded project that aims to resolve and prevent future property disputes that arise from a lack of estate planning. In addition to writing a last will and testament, clinic participants had the opportunity to speak with representatives of LiKEN to learn more about heirs' property and LiKEN's free heirs’ property assistance program. This year, clinics were held in the following counties: Harlan, Martin, Leslie, Johnson, Breathitt, Perry, and Floyd (November). They are hoping to begin scheduling clinics and recruiting volunteer attorneys for the 2025 season in January and start the season in April and run it until November 2025. If you are interested in volunteering for clinics in the 2025 season (April - November), click here and submit the linked form or email Kevin Slovinsky at kslovinsky@likenknowledge.org. LiKEN is offering volunteer attorneys $50 Visa prepaid cards per clinic to cover mileage expenses.

KBA Knowledge Hub

The KBA Knowledge Hub is a free, online library with downloadable content including white papers, webinars, product guides, case studies, industry analysis and more. Browse the KBA Knowledge Hub now!

By making a Qualified Charitable Distribution, you can enjoy significant tax benefits by excluding the donated amount from your taxable income, potentially lowering your overall tax burden. Moreover, your contribution will fuel our vital programs addressing critical community needs to create positive change in our state. Join us in this impactful mission and make your required distribution work harder for both you and those in need. Questions? Contact Kentucky Bar Foundation Executive Director Susan Duncan at sduncan@kybar.org or (502) 564-3795 ext. 252.

Don’t Forget

It's your last chance to purchase tickets to the 8th Annual Judge Johnstone Dinner honoring W. David Denton of Paducah on November 19th. Please purchase tickets for this event by November 4th. You can pay online or by sending a check (to avoid credit card fees) to the KY Bar Foundation, 514 W. Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. Questions? Contact Kentucky Bar Foundation Executive Director Susan Duncan at sduncan@kybar.org or (502) 564-3795 ext. 252. All proceeds benefit the Kentucky Bar Foundation, which serves as the charitable branch. Join us!

Join the KBF on February 6th for the Inaugural Chief Justice Minton Annual Award Dinner

Please make plans to attend the Kentucky Bar Foundation’s Inaugural Chief Justice Minton Award Dinner on February 6th at 5:00 p.m., CT, at La Gala in Bowling Green. This year’s award recipient is Charles E. English. The event begins at 5:00 p.m. with cocktails (cash bar) and appetizers hosted by the KBA. Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. Sponsorships are available – please contact Susan Duncan for more information at sduncan@kybar.org.

Tune in for the November Learn & Earn:

Bourbon: Regulated from Grain to Glass Join us on Tuesday, November 12th at 12:00 p.m., ET, via Zoom, for our next Learn & Earn. The session will provide an overview of the regulatory history and will discuss the modern-day regulatory landscape of America's Native Spirit. Ryan Shortt, associate general counsel for Bardstown Bourbon Company, LLC, in Bardstown, Ky., will lead the discussion. This session is approved for 1 CLE credit. Registration is $50. Use promo code "TURKEY" to get a 50% discount. Register now!

You should have received a registration email with information on how to access the on-demand videos. As a reminder, the on-demand program is accredited for 7.75 CLE credits, including 3.5 ethics. If you are interested in participating in the on-demand portion of the KLU, please register now. For questions regarding the Kentucky Law Update in-person or on-demand programs, please reach out to KLU Program Coordinator Laura Cole at lcole@kybar.org.

KBA Career Center Below is a listing of jobs that are currently featured on the Kentucky Bar Association's Career Center page.

Featured Jobs more • Associate General Counsel    Northern Kentucky University  •  Highland Heights, KY • Chief Counsel of the General Counsel/Government Section    City of Cincinnati Law Department  •  Cincinnati, OH • Executive Director    Legal Aid of West Virginia, Inc.  •  Charleston, WV

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The Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) does not endorse or recommend employers, and a posting does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. The KBA explicitly makes no representations or guarantees about job listings or the accuracy of the information provided by the employer.