KY lawmakers advance impeachment effort against Lexington judge

A committee of Kentucky lawmakers on Wednesday agreed to advance an impeachment effort against a Fayette County circuit judge.

After an hourlong executive session, Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said the committee will issue articles of impeachment against Fayette County Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman.

According to House Resolution 124, filed Wednesday afternoon, the committee found Goodman “committed misdemeanors in office,” and recommended her impeachment.

Goodman’s impeachment petition was filed in January by Killian Timoney, a former state representative for the 45th District who is seeking election again. He accuses Goodman of abusing her office, citing six cases from her court that he argued constituted misconduct.

“We are disappointed with the action of the committee, but we are not surprised,” said Robert McBride, Goodman’s attorney.

In one case, according to the petition, Goodman allegedly conducted her own research into a fatal-hit-and-run, overstepping her duties as a judge. The research referenced was Goodman searching for data that showed prosecutors charge Black defendants more harshly than other defendants.

The move toward impeachment comes days after Goodman testified before the committee and asked the petition be dismissed. Goodman also filed an emergency injunction last week in Franklin Circuit Court to stop the proceedings, saying they violated her due process rights.

Goodman’s impeachment proceedings are the first in more than a century against a sitting Kentucky judge.

If the resolution is adopted by the full House of Representatives, Nemes has five days to file the impeachment articles with the Kentucky Senate.

Goodman’s case would then go to the Senate for a full trial. A trial has to have a majority vote to remove her from office.

The impeachment committee did not mention other petitions pending with their body, including documents to impeach Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goodwine.

This story was originally published March 18, 2026 at 1:16 PM.

Taylor Six

Lexington Herald-Leader

Taylor Six is the criminal justice reporter at the Herald-Leader. She was born and raised in Lexington attending Lafayette High School. She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2018 with a degree in journalism. She previously worked as the government reporter for the Richmond Register.