Lexington judge wants former KY lawmaker who sought her impeachment to repay court fees

A Lexington judge wants a former Republican lawmaker to repay her attorney’s costs and fees after the Kentucky Supreme Court nullified his impeachment petition against her.

Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman on Thursday filed a motion asking another judge to force Killian Timoney, who is seeking to regain his Lexington-area House seat, to pay her court fees.

Timoney filed an impeachment petition against Goodman in January, arguing that six cases in her courtroom constituted judicial misconduct. The Kentucky House agreed, impeaching Goodman on March 20 by a vote of 73-14.

The impeachment effort was slated to head to trial in the Kentucky Senate next week, but the Kentucky Supreme Court on Monday ruled the effort is invalid, because, among other things, none of Goodman’s actions were impeachable offenses, the General Assembly was not the appropriate venue for judicial sanctions and the petition lacked a notary’s signature.

The court also ruled that continuing with the impeachment effort would violate the Separation of Powers Doctrine in the Kentucky Constitution.

But on Wednesday, Senate leaders would not say if they would comply with the order from the state’s highest court. Instead, Senate President Robert Stivers sent a news release noting the body was aware of the high court’s ruling. The release included the Senate’s “pending” schedule for impeachment proceedings next week.

After filing the impeachment petition, Timoney has remained nearly silent on the case as it plays out in the Kentucky General Assembly and courts system.

He did not attend or testify at any of Goodman’s impeachment hearings in the House. Goodman sued him, as well as Rep. Jason Nemes, chair of the impeachment committee, and House Speaker David Osborne, in an effort to halt the proceedings. Timoney never responded in court.

And Timoney has not responded to repeated requests for comment from the Herald-Leader. He has remained active on social media in the months since filing the impeachment petition, but he’s posted just once about the Goodman case, the same day the petition was filed.

Timoney’s post mentioned the case of Cornell Thomas, a man whose murder indictment was dismissed after Goodman ruled that Lexington prosecutors overcharge Black defendants. Thomas’ case was one of the six cited in the petition.

“Last month the Kentucky Court of Appeals reversed Judge Goodman’s dismissal of the case, calling her ruling ‘fraught with legal errors and abuses.’ The appellate court said Judge Goodman ‘conducted a judicial ambush’ and abused the power of her office ‘in a way that reflects poorly on the judiciary as a whole,’” Timoney wrote in the Jan. 28 Facebook post. “Tammy Botkin and her family members deserve justice. They shouldn’t be required to wait more than a half-decade before the case goes to trial, but that’s where we are because of how badly Judge Goodman botched this case. ... Out of respect for the seriousness of these allegations and for the constitutional process now underway, this will be the last time I comment publicly on this matter until it is resolved.”

Where’s Timoney?

A Jessamine County Sheriff’s deputy confirmed Timoney was served with a summons in Goodman’s lawsuit. But neither he nor a lawyer on his behalf responded to the suit.

Only two people testified during Goodman’s impeachment hearings: Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Kim Baird, who said she wanted Goodman removed, and Tammy Botkin’s widower, Doug.

It was unclear if the committee asked Timoney to testify.

In a March 31 ruling, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd noted Timoney’s absence.

“It appears from the records that (Timoney) has no personal knowledge of the facts he alleges in his petition,” Shepherd wrote in an order that nullified the petition but noted that the final authority would rest with the Kentucky Supreme Court, which handed down its ruling less than a week later. “He did not appear or testify before the House Special Committee on Impeachment to explain his concerns, nor has he responded or appeared in this case, although he has received notice and been given the opportunity to be heard prior to every action by this court.”

Despite his silence on the impeachment proceedings, Timoney has remained active on Facebook.

On March 27, he posted a picture of himself with Osborne, wishing the Prospect Republican a happy birthday.

“Happy birthday Speaker David Osborne. You are a friend and mentor, both of which you didn’t ask for nor want!!! Lol. A stoic leader who does so much for the Commonwealth. Cheers to an expeditiously waning 2026 session!” Timoney wrote.

His most recent post on social media was Thursday.

Timoney has also continued his campaign for a seat in House District 45. His opponent in the November election, incumbent Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, was the lone House Democrat to vote in favor of Goodman’s impeachment.

Timoney was elected to the seat in 2020 but was ousted in a landslide primary loss in 2024.

Goodman’s impeachment hearings are scheduled to begin April 15 in the Kentucky Senate.

This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 12:53 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.