KY Supreme Court orders lawmakers to stop impeachment

Key Points:

• The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled 5-1 that state lawmakers cannot continue impeachment proceedings against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman, voiding the articles of impeachment and ordering the General Assembly to halt further action.
• The court found the impeachment violated Goodman’s due process rights, was based on disagreement with her rulings rather than impeachable offenses, and infringed on the separation of powers by encroaching on judicial authority.
• Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert emphasized that allowing the legislature unchecked impeachment power over judges would undermine the constitutional principle of co-equal government branches.
• The court noted that the Judicial Conduct Commission, not the legislature, is the proper body to address any judicial misconduct, and revealed the commission is currently reviewing Goodman’s conduct.
• Goodman’s attorney expressed gratitude for the ruling, calling it a restoration of judicial independence, while lawmakers who initiated the impeachment have not yet commented.