Kentucky Court of Justice
Chief Justice Lambert names Jason M. Nemes as chief of staff and counsel

FRANKFORT, Ky., June 22, 2005 ¾ Chief Justice Joseph E. Lambert announced today that Jason M. Nemes has been named chief of staff and counsel for the Office of Chief Justice. The position is effective today, June 22.  

"Jason is exceptionally bright, enthusiastic and congenial," said Chief Justice Lambert. "While serving as my law clerk, he obtained a firm grasp of the responsibilities of the Kentucky Court of Justice. I have found him to be talented and deeply committed to serving our court system."

"Jason is a logical choice for this role," said recently retired Supreme Court Justice James E. Keller, who worked closely with Nemes in his role as law clerk for the Office of Chief Justice. "He is a student of the law, he has the highest of ethics and he is a hard worker. He cares about the Kentucky court system and will do an outstanding job."

Nemes is a native of Louisville. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University where he pursued a double major in government and sociology, and a minor in criminology. He ranked among the top in his class when he graduated with a juris doctor from the University of Louisville School of Law in 2004.

After completing undergraduate studies at WKU, Nemes spent a year in Washington, D.C., where he served as district administrator for U.S. Rep. Anne Northup and legislative correspondent for then U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher. While in law school, he was
a law clerk for Louisville Gas & Electric. After law school, he spent nearly a year as a law clerk for Chief Justice Lambert.

"This is a tremendous opportunity," said Nemes about his appointment. "Kentucky's
court system is in many ways a model for its efficient, effective service to the people of Kentucky. I look forward to contributing to that tradition by serving the Commonwealth as Chief Justice Lambert's chief of staff and counsel."

Nemes and his wife, Leslie, live in Louisville. He currently serves on the Middletown Christian Church Board of Directors. He has previously volunteered with the University of Louisville Kidney Disease Program and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Bowling Green. He has also been named one of the Jefferson County Public Schools Champions for Children.

The Supreme Court is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. Seven justices sit on the Supreme Court and all seven justices rule on appeals that come before the court. The justices are elected from seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. A chief justice, chosen for a four-year term by fellow justices, is the administrative head of the state’s court system and is responsible for its operation. The Supreme Court may order a ruling or opinion to be “published,” which means that the ruling becomes the case law governing all similar cases in the future in Kentucky.

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