Fayette County circuit judge to run for Kentucky Court of Appeals in 2026
Fayette County Circuit Judge Lucy VanMeter has announced her candidacy for the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
She made the announcement in a Wednesday press release.
VanMeter is running for the seat vacated by Justice Pamela Goodwine, who was decisively elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court in November. Gov. Andy Beshear chose William Moynahan, a Lexington resident who was an assistant U.S. attorney serving in the Eastern District of Kentucky, to fill Goodwine’s void until the 2026 election.
A Bourbon County native, Vanmeter has served as a Fayette circuit judge since 2018 and has more than 20 years of experience in the state court system. She has presided over multiple high-profile cases, including the Sophia Rosing case, the John Tilley rape trial and the murder trial of two men convicted of killing an 18-year-old in a botched robbery.
In total VanMeter has conducted over 40 trials, according to the release.
“I have the experience necessary to serve on our Court of Appeals – both as a practitioner handling cases in over 50 Kentucky counties and as a Circuit Court Judge presiding over civil cases and felony criminal matters,” VanMeter stated in the release.
Prior to serving as a circuit judge, VanMeter was an equity partner in law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC in Lexington. For 17 years with the firm, she litigated cases at all levels of Kentucky’s state court system.
“I’ve known Lucy VanMeter for almost 25 years. She was one of our brightest young lawyers and quickly became a full equity partner in our firm,” said Bill Lear, former managing partner at Stoll Keenon Ogden, in the news release. “I fully supported her 2018 decision to pursue a judicial career. In the last seven years, Judge Lucy VanMeter has proven herself as a diligent and thoughtful Fayette Circuit Judge. She will be an excellent appellate judge.”
VanMeter graduated from the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law with honors in 2001. She is also a DePauw University and Bourbon County High School graduate.
VanMeter is married to Laurance VanMeter, the former Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court. Laurance VanMeter was elected chief justice in November 2022 but stepped down from the bench at the end of his term in 2024 after deciding to not seek reelection.
The 5th Court of Appeals District includes Fayette County and all six “ring” counties bordering Fayette, plus Franklin County.
The 2026 primary election will be held Tuesday, May 19, 2026, followed by the general election Tuesday, Nov. 3. Moynahan told the Herald-Leader he intends to run in the election, which will decide who gets to serve out the remainder of the term expiring in 2030.
This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM.
