Family Court

Political newcomer Nora Shepherd easily won her first race for family court judge Tuesday night after defeating incumbent Ira Newman by nearly a two-to-one margin. Shepherd, 41, of Richmond, recorded a total of 18,116 votes between Clark and Madison counties, the two counties she will serve. Newman tallied only 9,163. Shepherd said this morning that the realization still hasn’t sunk in, even after carrying both counties by similar margins and consistent ones throughout the precincts.

Boyle County so far has been left out of the building bonanza of new judicial centers across the state, but some renovation under way at the courthouse is giving the facility a new family court room. The county will be reimbursed by the Administrative Office of the Courts for the project, which is expected to cost $180,000.  "We desperately needed a room for (Judge) Bruce Petrie's family court," said Boyle Judge-Executive Harold McKinney. “It is going to give some more room to him and his staff, and it is going to be a better security arrangement.” What was storage space on the third floor for years will be a new courtroom, offices and restroom for family court.

Dear Editor, To the Voters of Rockcastle, Pulaski and Lincoln counties: It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I am writing to endorse Judge Walter F. Maguire for the position of family court judge in Pulaski, Rockcastle and Lincoln counties. I grew up in Pulaski County. For the past 40 years, I have been a teacher, principal, superintendent, and have served as a member on a local board of education. I have known Judge Maguire throughout that time and I feel that my perspective should be helpful to the voters of those counties as you evaluate this exceptional candidate.

A general election race already is drawing attention, even though voters will not decide who takes the bench until November. Former district judge Walter F. Maguire will challenge Family Court Judge Debra Lambert for her seat that serves Lincoln, Pulaski and Rockcastle counties. Maguire has been retired for almost two years, but said he loves to work and is ready to work for the first Republican governor Kentucky has had in many years. "I think I am probably more experienced than my opponent, and I think I can do a better job,â�

The Honorable Michael Dixon made history Dec. 28 by becoming the first 13th District family court judge when he was sworn in at a ceremony in the Jessamine County circuit courtroom. Family Court is a relatively new concept that was created by a constitutional amendment in 2002. The court's hefty workload includes all divorce, domestic violence, custody, property division, dependence abuse cases and all cases involving juveniles. Prior to Dixon's swearing in, multiple judges oversaw the many different cases.

Judge Jeffrey Walson was guest speaker at the Jan. 16 meeting of the LLL Club at Central Baptist Church, and he explained the Family Court to the members and guests. Pauline Blair, program chairman, introduced the speaker, and Marsha Chasteen, president, conducted the meeting and gave the invocation. Clair Stewart introduced the Rev. Eric Patterson, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, who gave the devotional, "A New Day. " Billie Pace, senior adult director, announced that "Out to Lunch" for January would be a trip to Jerry's in Paris.

A general election race already is drawing attention, even though voters will not decide who takes the bench until November. Former district judge Walter F. Maguire will challenge Family Court Judge Debra Lambert for her seat that serves Lincoln, Pulaski and Rockcastle counties. Maguire has been retired for almost two years, but said he loves to work and is ready to work for the first Republican governor Kentucky has had in many years. "I think I am probably more experienced than my opponent, and I think I can do a better job," Maguire said.

One of Clark County's assistant county attorneys is a finalist for the vacant judge's seat on family court. Christopher Micah Davis is one of three finalists to fill the seat left open when Jean Chenault Logue was appointed to circuit court in November. Davis, a Winchester native, was nominated as a candidate for the position during the process. Now Davis and the two other nominees, Ira Dean Newman of Berea and Nora Jeanne Shepherd of Richmond, are all waiting for Gov. Steve Beshear to make the appointment to serve until the November 2010 special election.

STANFORD - With elections right around the corner, Walter Maguire is wrapping up the campaign he hopes will put him back on the bench. He retired about two years ago after serving 22 1/2 years as district judge for Pulaski and Rockcastle counties. Now he is running against incumbent Debra Lambert for family court judge for Lincoln, Pulaski and Rockcastle counties. The term for the non-partisan office is eight years. Maguire says "it has been great renewing acquaintances with so many old friends and making new ones, especially in Lincoln County where I have never been a candidate before.

The first two candidates to fill the upcoming circuit court vacancies in Clark and Madison counties will be the circuit's two family court judges. Judges Jean Logue and Jeffrey Walson each announced their intentions after news spread of the impending retirements of Julia Hylton Adams and William T. Jennings from the circuit bench. Logue and Walson are not running against each other; Logue is seeking Jennings' seat while Walson is running for Adams'. The winner in November will serve the remaining six years of each term.

Family court will have to wait a few more days to move into its newly renovated space at the Boyle County Courthouse, and judging by Monday's caseload, it won't be a minute too soon. Workers are putting the finishing touches on the $180,000 project that will allow the increasingly busy court to have its own space after years of shuffling between rooms intended for other courts. On Monday, Judge Bruce Petrie, who presides over family court in Boyle and Mercer counties, was in the district court chambers while lines of people packed the third-floor hallway.

It will be at least July 18 before double murder suspect Lillie Stanton returns to court. Stanton, 48, was transported to the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center earlier this week for 30 days of court-ordered treatment, according to court documents. Stanton was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Clark District Court Wednesday, but Clark County Attorney Brian Thomas said the hearing was postponed until July. Stanton is charged with killing her daughter, 23-year-old Danel Korrey Stanton, and her granddaughter, 22-month-old Kaydence Ray Miers, on May 20, three days before a child custody hearing in family court.

Boyle County so far has been left out of the building bonanza of new judicial centers across the state, but some renovation under way at the courthouse is giving the facility a new family court room. The county will be reimbursed by the Administrative Office of the Courts for the project, which is expected to cost $180,000.  "We desperately needed a room for (Judge) Bruce Petrie's family court," said Boyle Judge-Executive Harold McKinney. “It is going to give some more room to him and his staff, and it is going to be a better security arrangement.” What was storage space on the third floor for years will be a new courtroom, offices and restroom for family court.

If we look at humanity as a garden, abuse suffered by children is easy to spot. Some precious flowers whither on the vine, unable to grow in a toxic environment, while others are crushed under a savage boot heel or denied sunshine and sustenance. Not having the chance to grow big and strong, to blossom and bloom to full potential, is a crime against nature. Some committed “gardeners”  from agencies and entities concerned with the growth and development of area children gathered Thursday for a proclamation ceremony to kick off the Blue Ribbons for Kids campaign, declaring April Child Abuse Awareness Month in Danville and Boyle County.

CASA at Woodlawn has an urgent need for more volunteers who want to positively impact the lives of abused and neglected children by serving as court appointed advocates.       The organization is hosting volunteer advocate training, which consists of court observation, a few in-class sessions and some brief homework. Training for April's session will begin 6 p.m. April 10 at the CASA at Woodlawn Office. If you need directions or additional information, please contact Jessica R. Johnson at CASA at Woodlawn.  IN 2007, CASA at Woodlawn provided volunteer advocates for less than 5 percent of cases involving allegedly abused or neglected children.

Deciding which child removed from a home due to neglect and/or abuse will receive a Court Appointed Special Advocate - and which child will not - has got to be one of toughest parts of an already difficult job as a family court judge. Although 120 children last year in Boyle County were appointed one of the 58 specially-trained CASA volunteers in his or her corner, another 250, due to limited training resources, had to go it alone. Volunteers have access to all of a child's records, get to know the child personally and then speak for the child independent of any agency.

CASA volunteer training offered  CASA at Woodlawn is hosting volunteer advocate training for volunteers interested in representing the best interests of abused and neglected children in the family court system. The training is a mixed online/in-class format. Volunteers can complete the online training at their own pace at home and join other volunteers for three in-class sessions in February. Orientation for February's session will be 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at the CASA at Woodlawn office.

District Court Judge Bill Oliver, who serves Jessamine, Garrard and Lincoln counties, participated in the 2011 Kentucky District Judges College that took place Oct. 18-21 at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort. The AOC provided the judicial education program for the state's District Court judges. The judges received updates on case law and legislation. They also attended sessions on domestic violence, small claims, search and seizure, court technology and changes to the pretrial release process under House Bill 463. HB 463 took effect in June 2011 and is the most comprehensive overhaul of Kentucky's penal code in more than 30 years.

This is the first in a three-part series on Relay for Life. Clark Family Court Judge Jeff Walson is just carryin’ on like an old friend taught him. As Relay for Life approaches, Walson, the keynote speaker, remembers last year’s event. His 17-year-old daughter Savannah organized a team in honor of Walson’s father, who has been battling prostate cancer for the last 15 years. The community was also remembering David Hunt, Walson’s best friend who died of colon cancer the year before.