FRANKFORT, Ky., Dec. 13, 2021 – The Judicial Nominating Commission, led by Justice Christopher Shea Nickell, today announced nominees to fill the vacant judgeship in Daviess County District Court. Daviess makes up the 6th Judicial District and the vacancy is in the district’s Division 3. Justice Nickell filled in for Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. today. The chief justice heads the judicial nominating commissions.
The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Heather Lynn Wagner Blackburn, Shannon LeMaster Meyer and James Nicholas Payne, all of Owensboro.
Blackburn serves as a public defender with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy. She received her juris doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law.
Meyer serves as a prosecutor with the Daviess County Attorney’s Office. She received her juris doctor from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.
Payne serves as a prosecutor with the Daviess County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office. He received his juris doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law (now the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law).
The judicial seat became vacant when Judge Daniel M. Burlew II retired Dec. 1.
District Court
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.
Judicial Nominating Commission
The Judicial Nominating Commission helps fill judicial vacancies by appointment when a vacancy occurs outside of the election cycle. The Kentucky Constitution established the JNC. Ky. Const. § 118; SCR 6.000, et seq.
Judicial Nominating Process
When a judicial vacancy occurs, the executive secretary of the JNC publishes a notice of vacancy in the judicial circuit or the judicial district affected. Attorneys may recommend someone or nominate themselves. The names of the applicants are not released. Once nominations occur, the individuals interested in the position return a questionnaire to the Office of the Chief Justice. Chief Justice Minton then meets with the Judicial Nominating Commission to choose three nominees. Because the Kentucky Constitution requires that three names be submitted to the governor, in some cases the commission submits an attorney’s name even though the attorney did not apply. A letter naming the three nominees is sent to the governor for review. The governor has 60 days to appoint a replacement and his office makes the announcement.
Makeup of the Judicial Nominating Commission
The commission has seven members. The membership is comprised of the chief justice of Kentucky (who also serves as chair), two lawyers elected by all the lawyers in their circuit/district and four Kentucky citizens who are appointed by the governor. The four citizens appointed by the governor must equally represent the two major political parties, so two must be Democrats and two must be Republicans. It is the responsibility of the commission to submit a list of three names to the governor and the governor must appoint a judge from this list of three.
Comments