Justice Michelle M. Keller, a member of the Supreme Court of Kentucky, recently spoke to the Florence Rotary Club. Her district, the 6th Appellate, includes Boone, Kenton, Campbell and 18 other counties. When Justice Wil Schroder retired, Justice Keller was appointed to fill his term. She previously served on the KY Court of Appeals, 6th Appellate District, from 2006 until her appointment in 2013. Justice Keller is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University, and the Salmon P. Chase College of Law.
Describing her role, she said “Every day, we focus on doing our best work, because serving the people of Kentucky is a privilege, and I hope to keep doing this for a long time.” Justice Keller continued about why she loves her job and why it is so important to her. “There is an absence of the rule of law in many countries. We must protect our freedom and our society.”
She encouraged everyone to visit the Kentucky Capitol building in Frankfort, which is unique compared to most state offices since all three branches of government are under one roof. ‘Our offices in Frankfort are housed in the most humbling and awe-inspiring building in the state!” she said.
Justice Keller described the structure of the Kentucky court system. District Court handles most minor cases including misdemeanors, probate of wills, small claims and traffic offenses. The Circuit Court deals with more serious matters such as felonies and capital offenses, and includes Family Court, which handles divorce, child custody, adoption, and other family concerns. The Court of Appeals hears cases in which those who are dissatisfied with a lower court’s ruling may ask for a review of the case.
Cases required to be heard by the Kentucky Supreme Court are criminal cases with sentences of 20 years or greater, death penalty cases, and worker’s compensation claims. All other cases are at the discretion of the court. The Kentucky Supreme Court also provides administrative overview of the whole Kentucky court system, and sets policies and rules.
Justice Keller described her first year as the new judge among seven Justices, explaining that she cast the deciding vote in eight 3-3 ties. “That was a lot of pressure for the newest Justice!” she said. The Court has an enormous case load and must review numerous case files prior to any decisions. Justice Keller’s staff includes one assistant and two law clerks.
One of her current projects is helping lead the conversion to an electronic based court management system. Due to the expense involved, bonds were issued to help finance a new CTS system so attorneys can file electronically, and documents and cases can be followed online.
During this election year, Justice Keller has participated in many events around the state, including a recent milking competition in Henry County. Although she didn’t win, she enjoyed the friendly competition and meeting people in her district. Concluded Justice Keller, “We take our work very seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
