The administrative head of Kentucky’s judiciary system took the oath of office Thursday for a fourth four-year term via the video conferencing service Zoom.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton is the second justice chosen to serve four terms in the position as chief justice. Deputy Chief Justice Lisabeth Hughes administered the oath of office. She said Minton’s leadership throughout the coronavirus pandemic made the decision to give him another term an easy one.
“You only need to look at Chief Justice Minton’s calm and decisive leadership the last three months to understand why we chose him to lead us for another term,“ Hughes said in a statement. “In the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, he quickly adapted court operations to protect the health and safety of court personnel and the public. He has been just as deliberate in planning how we will resume court services. This steadiness under pressure came as no surprise to those who have watched him lead the court system through many challenges during his 12 years as chief justice.”
Minton was elected to his first eight-year term on the Supreme Court in 2006, winning re-election in 2014. Prior to winning his Supreme Court seat, he served as an appellate court judge and circuit court judge.
According to a press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), Minton modernized the state court system by increasing technology use and bringing e-filing to all of Kentucky’s 120 counties. He also worked to draft a new judicial redistricting plan for the commonwealth. Minton said he is proud of how his accomplishments as chief justice have helped to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the court system.
“Our push to invest in court technology seems especially prescient now that a pandemic has forced us to offer many services online,” Minton said in a statement. “While the use of eFiling, eWarrants, text notifications and videoconferencing is always efficient and cost-effective, these are indispensable tools when social distancing is critical to public health. Over the past several weeks, our judges, circuit court clerks and court personnel have had to adjust to a constantly changing environment and I’m grateful for their flexibility and resiliency. Their ability to rise to the occasion during this unprecedented emergency has made me even more proud to work alongside them to serve the commonwealth.”
Minton earned an undergraduate degree from Western Kentucky University and attended law school at the University of Kentucky. His fourth term as chief justice expires in 2024.
View the order appointing Minton to a fourth term below:
