Published: November 05, 2009 10:49 pm      

3 nominated for judgeship

Candidates named to fill 21st Judicial District vacancy

MOREHEAD — The Rowan County attorney, a former public defender and a Frenchburg lawyer were selected Thursday as nominees for a vacant district judgeship.

William W. Roberts, Stephen G. Guerin and John A. Nefzger were chosen by the state Judicial Nominating Commission as candidates to fill the vacancy in the 21st Judicial District — Rowan, Bath, Menifee and Montgomery counties.

Their names will be submitted to Gov. Steve Beshear, who will select one of them to fill the position.

The vacancy was created when William E. Lane was appointed circuit judge for the four counties on Aug. 13. Lane replaced William B. Mains, who took senior status.

In addition to being Rowan County attorney, Roberts, of Morehead, is associated with the Roberts & Watkins law firm. He earned his law degree from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.

Guerin, who was previously with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, also earned his legal degree from Chase.

Nefzger, of Frenchburg, is a private-practice attorney. He earned his juris doctorate degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Thursday’s judicial nominations were the third to be announced this week for vacancies in Northeastern Kentucky.

Earlier, the commission nominated Roger W. Hall, Scott T. Reese and Anna H. Ruth for the vacant district judgeship in Boyd County. That position came open when George W. Davis III was appointed to the Boyd circuit bench earlier this year.

Also, the commission chose David D. Flatt, Gary E. Conn and Steve O’Connor as candidates for the vacant family court judge position in the 37th Judicial District — Carter, Elliott and Morgan Counties.

Flatt is currently commonwealth’s attorney for the district. Conn, his former assistant and a one-time domestic relations commissioner, is a private-practice attorney in Grayson. O’Connor is the Morgan County attorney.

When a judicial vacancy occurs, the executive secretary of the Judicial Nominating Commission publishes a notice of vacancy in the judicial circuit or the judicial district affected. Attorneys can recommend someone or nominate themselves. The names of the applicants are not released.

Once nominations occur, the individuals interested in the position return a questionnaire to the Office of the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court. Chief Justice John D. Minton then meets with the judicial nominating commission to choose three nominees.

Because the Kentucky Constitution requires that three names be submitted to the governor, in some cases the commission submits an attorney’s name even though the attorney did not apply.

A letter naming the three nominees is sent to the governor for review. Beshear now has 60 days to appoint a replacement.

Those appointed to the three vacancies will all have to run again next year.

KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.