Published: April 24, 2008 08:04 pm            

Kentucky Supreme Court chief justice announces resignation

FRANKFORT — Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Lambert said Thursday that he is resigning effective June 27.

"I believe it's a mistake to remain for too long in a high-level position in government," Lambert said in a written statement announcing his decision.

The Mount Vernon resident was elected to the Supreme Court in 1986. He has served as chief justice for the past 10 years.

"Serving on the Supreme Court and as chief justice," Lambert said, "has been the greatest privilege of my life."

Lambert, 59, said he intends to join the state's senior judge program, in which retired judges work part-time to help clear backlogged cases.

The Supreme Court is made up of seven justices elected from seven areas of the state to eight-year terms. Those justices choose which among them will service as chief justice to oversee the state's judicial system.

During his time on the Supreme Court, Lambert has written more than 400 published opinions and scores of dissenting and concurring opinions dealing with many of the most-talked-about cases in the state. He authored a concurring opinion last year that essentially granted the request of child killer who asked to be put to death.

However, Lambert pointed out in his opinion that the wishes of the defendant, Marco Allen Chapman, "should play no part in a death penalty determination."

Chapman had pleaded guilty to killing two children because their mother had advised his girlfriend to drop him.

Deputy Chief Justice Will T. Scott of Pikeville said Lambert has provided strong leadership on the Supreme Court.

"He has been a mentor to me and to everyone on this court, and I'm going to miss him," Scott said. "I believe Kentucky is going to miss him. But we can't expect him to stay forever."

Under state law, Kentucky's Judicial Nominating Commission will provide Gov. Steve Beshear a list of three candidates for consideration to replace Lambert until an election can be held, said Attorney General Jack Conway. Beshear must choose the replacement from the commission's nominees.

Voters would choose the permanent replace in November's general election, unless a special election is held sooner than that.

Lambert is the longest-serving justice now serving on the Supreme Court. All the other justices took their seats during the past three years.

In 2006, Lambert, a graduate of the University of Louisville law school, was selected by his colleagues to serve a third four-year term as the state's top judge.

The resignation caught many off guard, including Beshear.

"Obviously," Beshear, said, "he served with distinction."







Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

        

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