Kentucky
Kentucky’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Kentucky. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice, who is selected by the other justices to serve a four-year term.(Source: Kentucky Supreme Court; Kentucky Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices on the Supreme Court of Kentucky are chosen through a nonpartisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. The elected justice serves an eight-year term and may seek additional terms through a nonpartisan election. When a seat on the court opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a judge from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. If the unexpired term ends at Kentucky’s next election, the appointed justice serves the remainder of the term. However, if the unexpired term does not end at Kentucky’s next election, the appointed justice holds office until the next election if the vacancy occurs more than three months prior to the next election, or the second succeeding election if the vacancy occurs less than three months before the next election. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
Kentucky has had four constitutions adopted between 1792 and 1891. As of January 1, 2026, it had 44 amendments. ((Data on file with John Dinan, Wake Forest University.)
Kentucky’s Constitution: From Open Frontier to Fiercely Independent
Filters
Religious Freedom Claims Could Provide New Path to Protect Abortion Rights
Challenges to abortion bans by religious plaintiffs have had mixed results.
How Courts Evaluate Election Day Requests to Keep Polls Open Late
Various factors, including the harm to voters and the option for tailored and limited relief, play into whether judges will allow voting to continue past the scheduled closing time.
The Aftermath of Callais
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling will embroil state courts in a new wave of battles over gerrymandering and voting rights.
Kentucky High Court Blocks Judicial Impeachment
The state supreme court’s decision asserted judicial authority at a moment when courts’ independence has been under assault across the country.
How Are State Judges Selected?
Thirty-eight states use elections as part of their system for choosing high court judges.
Kentucky’s Constitution: From Open Frontier to Fiercely Independent
The state constitution’s strong separation of powers language was written by Thomas Jefferson; he wished the U.S. Constitution had the same.
Closing Remarks
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
The Tenacious Power of Constitutional Torts
Despite hurdles, civil rights litigation is a critical tool for people who have been harmed by the government and for those seeking long-lasting change.