United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
(E.D. Ky.)
Map

Appeals to Sixth Circuit
Established February 12, 1901
Judges assigned 6
Chief judge Jennifer B. Coffman
Official site

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky (in case citations, E.D. Ky.) is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises approximately the Eastern half of the state of Kentucky.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio maintains appellate jurisdiction for the district (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

Contents

Jurisdiction

The Eastern District of Kentucky encompasses the following counties: Anderson, Bath, Bell, Boone, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Bracken, Breathitt, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Henry, Jackson, Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Trimble, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, and Woodford.

History

The United States District Court for the District of Kentucky was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789.[1][2] At the time, Kentucky was not yet a state, but was within the territory of the state of Virginia. The District was unchanged when Kentucky became a state on June 1, 1792. On February 13, 1801 the Judiciary Act of 1801, 2 Stat. 89, abolished the U.S. district court in Kentucky,[2] but the repeal of this Act restored the District on March 8, 1802, 2 Stat. 132.[2] The District was subdivided into Eastern and Western Districts on February 12, 1901, by 31 Stat. 781.[2]

Meeting places

The court is based in Lexington and also holds sessions in Federal Courthouses in Ashland, Covington, Frankfort, London and Pikeville. The court also meets in Richmond and Jackson. In addition, at one time the court also met in Catlettsburg, however the court left Catlettsburg when the Carl D. Perkins Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Ashland was completed.

U.S. Attorney

The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current United States Attorney is Kerry B. Harvey, who was nominated by President Barack Obama in January 2010.

Current Judges

Judge Appointed by Began active
service		 Ended active
service		 Ended senior
status		 End reason
Jennifer B. Coffman Bill Clinton 01993-10-01 October 1, 1993 Incumbent – –
David L. Bunning George W. Bush 02002-02-19 February 19, 2002 Incumbent – –
Karen K. Caldwell George W. Bush 02001-10-24 October 24, 2001 Incumbent – –
Danny C. Reeves George W. Bush 02001-12-10 December 10, 2001 Incumbent – –
Amul Roger Thapar George W. Bush 02008-01-04 January 4, 2008 Incumbent – –
Gregory Frederick Van Tatenhove George W. Bush 02006-01-05 January 5, 2006 Incumbent – –
William Odis Bertelsman Jimmy Carter 01979-11-27 November 27, 1979 02001-02-01 February 1, 2001 Incumbent –
Green Wix Unthank Jimmy Carter 01980-06-18 June 18, 1980 01988-06-14 June 14, 1988 Incumbent –
Karl Spillman Forester Ronald Reagan 01988-07-27 July 27, 1988 02005-05-02 May 2, 2005 Incumbent –
Henry Rupert Wilhoit, Jr. Ronald Reagan 01981-09-28 September 28, 1981 02000-12-31 December 31, 2000 Incumbent –
Joseph Martin Hood George H. W. Bush 01990-04-30 April 30, 1990 02007-10-14 October 14, 2007 Incumbent –

Former Judges

Judge Appointed by Began active
service		 Ended active
service		 Ended senior
status		 End reason
Andrew McConnell January Cochran William McKinley 01901-04-24 April 24, 1901[4] 01934-06-12 June 12, 1934 – death
Hiram Church Ford Franklin D. Roosevelt 01935-03-28 March 28, 1935 01963-01-01 January 1, 1963 01969-06-08 June 8, 1969 death
Mac Swinford Franklin D. Roosevelt 01937-08-21 August 21, 1937 01975-02-03 February 3, 1975 – death
Bernard Thomas Moynahan Jr. John F. Kennedy 01963-11-08 November 8, 1963 01984-09-30 September 30, 1984 01999-09-30 September 30, 1999 death
Howard David Hermansdorfer Richard Nixon 01972-03-07 March 7, 1972 01981-01-31 January 31, 1981 – resignation
Eugene Edward Siler, Jr. Gerald Ford 01975-11-13 November 13, 1975 01991-09-20 September 20, 1991 – reappointment
Scott Elgin Reed Jimmy Carter 01979-11-02 November 2, 1979 01988-08-01 August 1, 1988 01994-02-17 February 17, 1994 death

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 391.
  2. ^ a b c d U.S. District Courts of Kentucky, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
  3. ^ Coffman's profile at the Federal Judicial Center
  4. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 5, 1901, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 17, 1901, and received commission on December 17, 1901.

External links