SCOCKY: Supreme Court race for Lambert's seat includes Dyche, Venters, Maguire, Breashear and Lovelace Interested or Announced; Hoover no longer considering run

From Joseph Gerth at the Courier Journal indicating that attorney Jeff Hoover is no longer seeking the appointment to replace Lambert on the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Robbie Dyche and Daniel Venters will be seeking the appointment. 

Pulaski Family Court Judge Walter F. Maguire said that he, too, would run for the office but that he would not seek an appointment by Beshear. 

Leonard Brashear, of Hyden, also will run for the position in November and probably will seek Beshear's appointment, said his campaign consultant, Dale Emmons. 

Circuit Judge Eddie Lovelace, of Albany, also said he's "giving it some very serious thought."

Lawyers, judges line up for high court seat
Beshear to appoint jurist until election

By Joseph Gerth • jgerth@courier-journal.com • June 29, 2008

Lawyers and judges across Southern Kentucky are lining up for a chance to replace former Chief Justice Joseph Lambert on the state Supreme Court.
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Lambert retired Friday, the day Justice John D. Minton Jr. of Bowling Green was sworn in as the court's fifth chief justice.

Gov. Steve Beshear will appoint someone from the state's 3rd Supreme Court District to replace Lambert, a process that will take at least a month.

A special election will be held in November to decide who fills the remainder of Lambert's term, which ends in 2010. Among those interested in the position are a former Kentucky Court of Appeals judge from London; two veteran judges from Somerset; a lawyer from Hyden and a longtime judge from Albany.

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Robbie Dyche, who spent 20 years on the Kentucky Court of Appeals, said he would run in November and ask Beshear to appoint him to the post. He might be the favorite since he would be running in a district that elected him numerous times in the past.

Former Circuit Judge Daniel Venters, of Somerset, announced this weekend that he is seeking the appointment and is running in the November election.

Pulaski Family Court Judge Walter F. Maguire said that he, too, would run for the office but that he would not seek an appointment by Beshear.

To accept such an appointment, Maguire said he would have to resign his current position and only be assured of serving a few months on the bench before he must face election.

And Leonard Brashear, of Hyden, also will run for the position in November and probably will seek Beshear's appointment, said his campaign consultant, Dale Emmons.

Circuit Judge Eddie Lovelace, of Albany, also said he's "giving it some very serious thought."

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