Kentucky Supreme Court halts impeachment proceedings against Fayette County Circuit judge Goodman

UPDATE: April 6 at 3 p.m. -The Kentucky Supreme Court has halted the impeachment proceedings against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman, declaring the articles of impeachment void.

In an opinion issued on April 6, Chief Justice Lambert ordered the General Assembly to dismiss the proceedings and enjoined the legislature from taking further action against Goodman. The court ruled the initial impeachment petition, filed by former state representative Killian Timoney, was invalid because it lacked a sworn affidavit.

The court also determined the petition did not allege actual impeachable offenses or criminal wrongdoing. The justices noted that disagreements over a judge’s rulings should be addressed through the appellate process or the Judicial Conduct Commission, rather than the legislature.

Previously, the Kentucky House of Representatives voted 73-14 to impeach Goodman. She was accused of abusing her office in a way that breaks the public’s trust. Six cases were cited in the articles of impeachment, including one involving a fatal hit-and-run.

If the state Senate had voted to convict, Goodman would have been the first sitting judge removed from office this way in more than 100 years.

UPDATE: March 25 at 12 p.m.

(ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A Franklin Circuit Court judge has ruled that the impeachment articles against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman are null and void stating the Kentucky House of Representatives failed to charge her with an impeachable offense.

Judge Phillip J. Shepherd issued the order on Tuesday, declaring that the legislature’s impeachment power does not extend to a judge’s rulings or court administration unless criminal acts are involved.

The order detailed that House Resolution 124, which adopted an impeachment petition filed by former Rep. Killian Timoney, charged Goodman with undefined judicial misconduct based on six cases. Shepherd noted three of those cases are still pending and four involve disputes with the Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Shepherd ruled that complaints about judicial rulings must be handled by the Judicial Conduct Commission and the Kentucky Supreme Court, not the legislature.

“The legislature has now asserted the power to remove judges and justices from office because it disagrees with their rulings,” Shepherd said. “Such unchecked and unreviewable power would destroy the system of checks and balances.”

Additionally, the chief witness against Goodman, Fayette County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird, is a former political opponent. Baird testified before the House Special Impeachment Committee that she cooperated with the legislature because she was unsure if the Judicial Conduct Commission would take action, according to the filed order.