Leigh Anne Hiatt, APR
Public Information Officer
502-573-2350
leigh_annhiatt@mail.aoc.state.ky.us

www.kycourts.net

FRANKFORT, Ky., July 29, 2003 . Circuit Judge James L. Bowling of Pineville has been elected chair of Kentucky’s Judicial Ethics Committee, announced Chief Justice Joseph E. Lambert. This is the first time in more than 20 years that the chair has changed hands on the state’s ethics committee for judges. Bowling, who was elected chair by the Judicial Ethics Committee, replaces the late Bill Westberry, a Paducah attorney who served as chair from 1978 until his death in April 2002.

Judge Bowling currently serves as a circuit judge for Bell County. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and his juris doctorate from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law. He was a solo law practitioner until his appointment to the District Court bench in 1984.

He joined the Judicial Ethics Committee in 1997.

"Judge Bowling is truly one of Kentucky’s outstanding judges," noted Chief Justice Lambert.

"He has the respect of his colleagues from across the state and will fill this important role well."

In addition to Judge Bowling, three new members have been selected for the Judicial Ethics Committee in the last two years. The committee is composed of Uhel O. Barrickman, a Glasgow attorney; Judge Mike W. Harrod, vice chief regional district judge for Anderson, Shelby and Spencer counties; Judge Lewis G. Paisley, who sits on the Kentucky Court of Appeals; and Arnold S. Taylor, a Covington attorney. Taylor replaced the late Bill Westberry in May 2002; Judge Harrod replaced Judge Peter Macdonald, who retired in December 2002; and Judge Paisley replaced Judge Joseph Huddleston, who retired in June 2003. Jean Collier, senior staff attorney with the State Law Library, serves as executive secretary for the committee.

The Judicial Ethics Committee consists of three judges and two attorneys. The judges are elected by their peers from the Court of Appeals, Circuit Court and District Court, and the attorney members are appointed by the Kentucky Bar Association’s Board of Governors. The committee serves in an advisory capacity by giving judges and judicial candidates guidance on prospective conduct. The committee responds to inquiries regarding a variety of matters, including permissible campaign conduct, when disqualification from a case is necessary, and other possible conflicts of interest in financial and personal matters.The committee issues formal opinions only for matters of statewide importance. Recent published opinions can be found online at www.kycourts.net (click on the State Law Library tab under the Administrative Office of the Courts menu item), while opinions going back to 1978 are housed in the Capitol Building in Frankfort.

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