KY House calls Supreme Court’s judicial impeachment ruling unconstitutional

A Republican lawmaker on Wednesday introduced a resolution declaring a recent Kentucky Supreme Court ruling that halted impeachment against a Lexington judge unconstitutional. The full House of Representatives adopted the resolution just hours later.

The resolution, introduced by Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville, on the last day of Kentucky’s legislative session, called a recent high court ruling that stopped impeachment proceedings against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman “null and void.”

“This honorable body declares that House Resolution 124 and the Articles of Impeachment against Judge Goodman were properly adopted and remain valid,” the resolution reads.

On the House floor, Blanton said it was the legislative body that conducted its own investigation then approved and adopted articles impeachment, not the petitioner or a state judicial body.

“The impeachment of Judge Goodman was done by the House in its own name, under its own constitutional authority and its own investigation,” Blanton said. “... Only the voters can change the General Assembly’s impeachment powers by means of a future constitutional amendment, and until that occurs, the House of Representatives must continue to exercise its constitutional powers to impeach public officials who commit misdemeanors in office.”

The resolution does not have the force of law. The General Assembly does not rule on the constitutionality of laws or rulings — that authority rests with the Supreme Court.

The resolution comes after the House impeached Goodman March 20 in a 73-14 vote, largely along party lines, with Republicans voting in favor. Blanton, a retired Kentucky State Police major, was co-chair of the committee that advanced the effort to the full House.

The case was then headed to the Senate for a trial, where Goodman could be convicted and removed from office, an unprecedented move in Kentucky’s modern history. But on April 6, the state’s highest court intervened, ruling the effort was invalid and should not proceed.

The Supreme Court declined to comment on impeachment and said any public statement would come from the court’s opinions.

Sheryl Snyder, a prominent Louisville lawyer and state constitutional law expert, said the House alone cannot act as a force of law under the Kentucky Constitution.

The resolution, he said, would have no legal effect.

“(Lawmakers) cannot nullify the order of the Supreme Court interpreting the constitution,” Snyder told the Herald-Leader.

Goodman’s lawyers had argued the Judicial Conduct Commission, rather than the General Assembly, was the proper venue for potential judge’s sanctions, and the Supreme Court agreed. The court also said continuing with the impeachment effort would violate the Separation of Powers Doctrine in the Kentucky Constitution.

But lawmakers have continued to contest that assertion.

Blanton said on the floor that had the commission responded to the impeachment committee and said it was independently looking into claims made against Goodman, it may have considered moving on from its own investigation.

However, the rules governing the JCC require confidentiality during the investigation process, according to the group’s website.

Earlier Wednesday, the Senate tabled this week’s scheduled impeachment trial against Goodman, though Senate leaders insisted the body has the power to remove the judge from office, and they threatened to do so if the JCC does not act.

Snyder said the Senate’s resolution to table the proceedings was method to solve what could have become a constitutional crisis.

“But rather than letting that settle the matter, the House seems to be settling scores with the (Supreme) Court,” Snyder said.

The impeachment petition against Goodman was filed in January by former Kentucky lawmaker Killian Timoney, a Republican seeking to regain his Lexington-area seat. Timoney claimed Goodman had abused her office and ignored the law, citing as evidence six particular cases in her courtroom.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Staff writer Piper Hansen contributed reporting.

This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 4:58 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.