Kentucky lawmaker says state Supreme Court's judicial impeachment ruling unconstitutional

Taylor Six, Lexington Herald-Leader on Apr 15, 2026

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A Republican lawmaker on Wednesday introduced a resolution declaring a recent Kentucky Supreme Court ruling that halted impeachment against a Lexington judge unconstitutional.

The resolution, introduced by state Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, on the last day of Kentucky’s legislative session, called a recent high court ruling that stopped impeachment proceedings against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman “null and void.”

“This honorable body declares that House Resolution 124 and the Articles of Impeachment against Judge Goodman were properly adopted and remain valid,” the resolution reads.

The resolution has no force of law, and, if the House approves it later Wednesday, it does not have to go to the Senate for approval. The General Assembly does not rule on the constitutionality of laws or rulings — that authority rests with the Supreme Court.

The resolution comes after the House impeached Goodman March 20 in a 73-14 vote, largely along party lines, with Republicans voting in favor. Blanton, a retired Kentucky State Police major, was co-chair of the committee that advanced the effort to the full House.

The case was then headed to the Senate for a trial, where Goodman could be convicted and removed from office, an unprecedented move in Kentucky’s modern history. But on April 6, the state’s highest court intervened, ruling the effort was invalid and should not proceed.

The Supreme Court declined to comment on impeachment and said any public statement would come from the court’s opinions.

Goodman’s lawyers had argued the Judicial Conduct Commission, rather than the General Assembly, was the proper venue for potential judge’s sanctions, and the Supreme Court agreed. The court also said continuing with the impeachment effort would violate the Separation of Powers Doctrine in the Kentucky Constitution.

But lawmakers have continued to contest that assertion.

Earlier Wednesday, the Senate tabled this week’s scheduled impeachment trial against Goodman, though Senate leaders insisted the body has power to remove the judge from office, and they threatened to do so if the JCC does not act on complaints against her.

The impeachment petition against Goodman was filed in January by former Kentucky lawmaker Killian Timoney, a Republican seeking to regain his Lexington-area seat. Timoney claimed Goodman had abused her office and ignored the law, citing as evidence six particular cases in her courtroom.

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