The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Judicial Conduct Commission – the only body authorized to take disciplinary action against sitting judges – does not have the power to permanently remove them from office.

The ruling stems from a case involving former 42nd District Court Judge Jamie Jameson, who was removed from office in 2022 – just days before the election for judge for Marshall and Calloway counties, which Jameson lost to Andrea Moore.

Jameson was charged with seven counts of misconduct, including abusing his position to pressure the former station manager of WKMS into not pursuing a story about him. After a four-day hearing, the JCC found Jameson guilty on all seven counts and voted unanimously to permanently remove him from office. Jameson appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court.

While the Commonwealth Constitution gives the Judicial Conduct Commission the power to retire, suspend or remove a judge, the Supreme Court ruled that the commission cannot permanently bar a judge from holding elected office. That power, the court said, rests solely with the state legislature through its impeachment process.

“The permanent removal of a popularly elected public official must be the result of action by a representative body also elected by the people: our legislature,” the statement said.

After the commission found Jameson guilty, the Supreme Court dismissed two of the seven misconduct charges against Jameson, ruling that the Judicial Conduct Commission had not presented “clear and convincing evidence” to support those allegations. The two dismissed charges accused Jameson of using his office to pressure people to donate to his campaign and of obstructing justice by allegedly attempting to obstruct the commission’s investigation.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that Jameson’s removal from office – for the term he served at the time – was an appropriate punishment. It ruled that there was “clear and convincing” evidence that Jameson had committed “numerous, willful and varied misconduct.”

Editor’s note: KPR Managing Editor Ryan Van Velzer edited this article. WKMS News Director Derek Operle, who worked at WKMS at the time Jameson tried to pressure the station into not pursuing a story about him, was not involved in editing this story.

Hannah Saad is the assistant news director at WKMS. Originally from Michigan, Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree in news media from the University of Alabama. Before joining WKMS in March 2023, Hannah was a news reporter at The Paducah Sun.