Kentucky Law Review

KY Lawyers: My prayers go out to Heather, Ray, Rob, Benham and all those who knew and loved Finis Price

This is absolutely the most difficult post I have ever had to make.   It is with great sadness, and a heavy heart that I post the following. 

Finis Price, my good friend and fellow lawyer, died on February 16 a the age of 37.  He had a big heart, a big laugh, and a big smile for everyone.  He will be sorely missed by many.  I still cannot believe it.

Visitation will be Monday, February 20 at Stoess Funeral Home, Crestwood, KY from 11-2 p.m. with service at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at Floydsburg Cemetery.

There is a Bible quote that I had heard at so many funerals I worked at for my father in West Virginia.  I had heard John 14:1-4 so many, many times, I could not comprehend the comfort in it.  But, the words were not intended for me at those times.  I was not the intended beneficiary of that promise, yet.  It was not meant for me because I was not a witness to that moment, but just a mere passerby.

However, it struck home when it came time for me to bury my own father and then my brother.  On each of those occasions, I felt at the deepest core of my being what this promise meant.  It was both a comfort and an inspiration in those dark times.  It is so, again.  As I remembered then, and now, all the good that each of them did and the good people that they were and still are.

My father told me once that one man's legacy is another's heritage.  Cherish it for it is a gift without measure and one of endless reward. 

To that end, I immediately remember that infectious laugh of Finis's that would erupt without preparation but be full of heart.  I remember the times I met him in the wee hours of the morning in line to pick up the newest iPhone or iPad.  The times when we just shared thoughts which were meandering in our minds in the present.

The calls at odd hours when a burning question was ever present in our heads.  The "what ifs", the "how comes", and the "just maybes" that stretch the edges of possibility in hopes of a probability. Usually, the cries of panic were from me as my Apple was not acting the way it was supposed to be acting.

Finis was the emobidment of my favorite quote. One from Robert F. Kennedy - “There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

Finis was one of the few men who would say a silent prayer before our meals, regardless of location, regardless of who was present.  Bearing silent witness to others of his faith.  And now serving up a reminder to me that John 14:1-4 will find fulfillment with Finis.   Here is the Bible quote that I hope has some meaning to those who go on.  It has and will for me.  Heather, you are my and Diane's prayers.

John 14:1-4 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

PRICE, FINIS RAYMOND, III, 37, a long-time resident of Louisville, KY, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and died on Thursday, February 16, 2012. Finis was a graduate of South Oldham High School, The University of Louisville, Brandeis School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate. He was a trial attorney and member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Louisville Bar Association, Kentucky Justice Association and American Association for Justice. He was a board member of many of these organizations. Most importantly, Finis along with his wife and long-time best friend, Heather, co-founded TechnoEsq, a legal consulting firm; allowing them to integrate their passion for technology and practicing law. He was also a professor at Chase Law School at Northern Kentucky University. Finis is deeply loved and greatly missed by his wife, the former Heather Mitchell; his father, Ray Price II; his mother-in-law, Janice "DeeDee" Mitchell; sisters-in-law, April (Chris) Lumbatis and Amber (Glynn) Brockway; and brother-in-law, Phillip (Heather) Mitchell Jr. Finis had eleven nieces and nephews whom he loved as his own; Hunter, Merideth, Olivia, Sammy, Landon, Rylan, Reagan, Phillip, Hannah, Christian, Hope; and his god child Connor Mattingly. He is loved by many, many friends. Visitation will be Monday, February 20 at Stoess Funeral Home, Crestwood, KY from 11-2 p.m. with service at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at Floydsburg Cemetery. Condolences at www.stoessfuneralhome.com

Claude Prather, former district judge, dies at 71

Claude Prather, former district judge, dies at 71

 Claude Randall Prather, who served eight years as a Jefferson District Court judge before losing his seat in the election last November, died Friday at his home. He was 71.

A graduate of Valley High School, Prather worked at General Electric’s Appliance Park from 1960 until 1994, beginning as a tool and die apprentice and leaving as a labor relations specialist. He took night courses for 16 years at the University of Louisville to earn three degrees: a bachelor’s in mathematics in 1966, a master’s in business administration in 1972 and a law degree in 1976.

He opened a general law practice in 1978. By 1983 he was serving as assistant Jefferson County attorney, prosecuting cases in District Court. He held that post until 1998.

Prather ran for District Court judge twice before winning a seat on the bench in the 2002 election.

Prather was a Marine Corps veteran and an officer for the Marine Corps League. He had been president of the Middletown Optimists Club and was a member of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus and the International Association of Machinists Lodge 2409.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Faith, as well as by six sons, a brother, a sister and 11 grandchildren.

I am also adding the remarks from Claude's sons that were published in the paper.  Claude loved his family dearly.  I remember his hard work, his passion, and his love for family while we were both on the campaign trail nearly a decade ago.  Claude taught me some good lessons about life, people, and politics.  He was good people.   He will be sorely missed by all.  Our prayers are with his family.

Our father took great pride in all of his accomplishments. However, he was most proud, and humbled, that the voters of Jefferson County elected him to serve as a District Court Judge. He was a man of intelligence, integrity, compassion, generosity, fairness, and wit; we stand as witnesses to his qualities and wanted to share our insight.

We, his sons, learned the lessons of hard work at the feet of our persevering father. The son of a custodian, our father spent his early childhood in a home without indoor plumbing. After serving honorably in the Marines, he was the first in his family to go to college. We saw our father's dedication and endless drive as he worked full-time at General Electric while attending graduate school and earning his law degree at night. After he was admitted to the Kentucky Bar, he continued working full-time at GE, opened his private practice, and worked as an attorney and prosecutor in the courts where he ultimately presided.

Yet, in spite of all the demands on his time, family was his foremost priority. He was a loving husband of 47 years and a dutiful son who instilled in us the importance of family. He supported our mother's decision to foster three additional children. He was always there for us and took his paternal responsibilities in stride. Once, a neighbor criticized the shabby condition of our well-worn yard. He responded, "I am raising children, not grass." Our father ensured we knew our grandparents with weekly visits. After his father, Vic, died he insisted that his mom, Pearl, spend her last years with us in our home. He was a wonderful and giving grandfather who always had time for our own children.

"Claude Randall Prather was our mentor and our best friend. He is the mark by which we measure ourselves as men," the sons of Claude R. Prather.

Judge Prather is survived by his wife, Mary Faith; his sons, John (Liz), James (Tanya), Joe (Lisa), Jeff (Kim), Jason (Ramona), and Justin (Lesley); his brother Charles (Maxine) and his sister Mary Gilmore; and his 11 grandchildren, Victor, Matthew, Ali, Dalton, Mary, Stephen, Brennan, Kathryn, Sam, Rhyan, and Lacey.

His Funeral Mass will be at noon Monday, May 9, 2011 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 7813 Shelbyville Road, with burial in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m. Sunday and 10-11:30 a.m. Monday at Highlands Family-Owned Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Road.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Marine Corps Coordinating Council Semper Fi Fund or Rite to Life.

 

 

 

From the Courier Journal: "Former state Senate president Larry Saunders dies"

From the Courier Journal:

Former state Senate president Larry Saunders dies

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Larry Saunders, the former Democratic state senator from Louisville who led the coup that toppled a longtime state Senate president in 1997 and installed Saunders as the chamber's leader, has died at a Louisville hospital. He was 71.

 

 

In Memoriam: "Hundreds gather to remember life of Oldham Co. Attorney John Fendley"

From WHAS 11:

Hundreds gather to remember life of Oldham Co. Attorney John Fendley

(WHAS11) - Hundreds of people gathered inside DeHaven Baptist Church in LaGrange to remember the life of Oldham County Attorney, John Fendley.

County police cruisers lined the streets at 600 West Main Street.

Oldham County Police and public officials said their final farewell before the burial.

Fendley was injured in an accident involving a horse on Sunday afternoon at his family farm in Buckner, Kentucky.   He was kicked in the head while loading a horse.

EMS was called to the scene at 4:18 p.m.  Fendley was airlifted to Louisville's University Hospital.
Fendley was a lifelong resident of Oldham County.  He began his service as Assistant County Attorney in 1985, and was appointed Oldham County Attorney in 1989. 

Fendley was elected to his first full term in November 1989, and continued in that position for the next 20 years.

In May, he won the Republican primary campaign for Oldham County Attorney and faced Democrat Stuart Ulferts in the November election.

IN MEMORY: Former Ky Supreme Court Justice Walter Baker Dies

From the Courier Journal: 

Ex-lawmaker Walter Baker dies

Former legislator and state Supreme Court Justice Walter A. Baker, who upon his appointment to the high court in 1996 was described by one lawyer as being "as near perfect as a human being can be," died Monday in Glasgow after a battle with cancer. He was 73.

In Memoriam: A. Robert Doll, prominent Louisville lawyer, dies at age 82

A. Robert Doll, prominent Louisville lawyer, dies at age 82

A. Robert Doll, a founding member and former managing partner of the law firm Greenebaum, Doll McDonald, died Sunday at Baptist Hospital East in Louisville. He was 82.

Mr. Doll joined the fledgling Louisville law firm Greenebaum, Barnett Carroll in the 1950s after a stint with the Internal Revenue Service. He eventually became a partner, then managing partner of the firm, which changed names over the years.

During Mr. Doll's tenure as managing partner, from 1973 to 1986, the firm grew from about 20 lawyers to 120 lawyers. In 1978, the firm acquired the Lexington firm McDonald, Alford, Roszell Scott and changed its name to Greenebaum, Doll McDonald.

Mr. Doll was instrumental in bringing the Toyota plant to Scott County in the 1980s. He continued to practice with the law firm in of-counsel status after he had a serious heart attack in 1986.

A Tampa, Fla., native, he went to the College of William and Mary in Virginia on a tennis scholarship in 1945. He helped lead the school's tennis team to two NCAA championships in 1947 and 1948 and later was inducted into the William and Mary Athletic Hall of Fame. He received a bachelor's degree in economics in 1949 and a law degree in 1951 from William and Mary.

In Memory of Clark County Circuit Clerk David Nelson Hunt - 1962-2009

The Kentucky Court of Justice extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Clark County Circuit Clerk David N. Hunt, 47, who passed away Feb. 19, 2009.

Mr. Hunt was a beloved figure in Winchester, where he was a banker for 16 years prior to being elected circuit clerk in 2000. He leaves behind his wife, Mary Jo Kruger Hunt, and two children, Katie Ellen Hunt and Carson David Hunt. He contributed to his community as a longtime director of the Winchester-Clark County Tourism Commission, a member of the Rotary Club and a member of Grace Bible Church where he sang in a southern gospel quartet. He was also a member of the Centerline band with his close friend, Family Court Judge Jeffrey Walson. He is a past president of the Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks.

Not only was he highly regarded by his community, but he was also held in the highest esteem by his colleagues in the court system. He touched the lives of judges, his staff, his fellow circuit clerks and hundreds of court personnel throughout the years.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Calvary Christian Church, 15 Redwing Dr., Winchester on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Clark County Association for Handicapped Citizens / STRIDE, c/o Darren Diguett, 150 Maryland Ave., Winchester, KY 40391.

Online guestbook

In Memoriam: Louisville Attorney William O. Guethlein Passes away Feb. 4

I received the following email today on the death of William O. Geuthlein.  Obituary follows.

We are very sad to report that Bill Guethlein passed away peacefully this afternoon at Jewish Hospital.  This is certainly a great loss to all of those who knew him well.
 
Professionally, Bill was one of the greats.  As an individual, he was warm, funny and fully human, truly one of a kind.  We will miss him greatly.
 
Visitation at Ratterman Funeral Home on Lexington Road in St. Mathews will be Thursday, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Friday, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  There will be a short Memorial Remembrance there at 6:30 pm on Friday.

GUETHLEIN, WILLIAM O., 81, of Louisville, passed away Wednesday, February 4, 2009, at Jewish Hospital. Bill Guethlein was born on May 4, 1927 in Cincinnati, OH. As a youth, he moved to Louisville where he graduated from high school. Bill was a veteran of World War II and attended the University of Louisville thereafter, receiving his LL.B degree in 1950. Before completing his legal education, Bill had worked as a lifeguard, a bartender, a bouncer, a floor-walker in a lady's store and an apprentice glass blower. After graduating from law school, Bill took a job with the Louisville firm of Boehl, Stopher, Graves & Deindoerfer, where he practiced for 49 years, retiring from the partnership in the spring of 1999. From 1999 until his death, he was Of Counsel to Phillips Parker Orberson & Moore, PLC. For many decades, Bill Guethlein was acknowledged as one of Louisville's preeminent trial attorneys. Bill defended all manner of civil cases, starting with low-exposure automobile accident cases but quickly progressing to multi-million dollar product liability and professional liability cases. He was almost universally successful in trial against not only prominent local attorneys but nationally-renowned plaintiff's attorneys such as Stanley Prizer and Phil Corboy who traveled to Louisville to try cases against him. Bill was best known for defending medical malpractice cases, and he successfully defended hospitals in Louisville and throughout the state as well as physicians and surgeons of all specialties. It could be argued that no attorney in Louisville has ever had a civil trial practice for a longer period of time, at a higher level, with more success, than Bill Guethlein. In 1979, Bill was named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was also repeatedly recognized in Best Lawyers in America and was a member of numerous local, state and national bar associations. In spite of his reputation as a fierce legal adversary, Bill was a warm, funny and kind man. He was a mentor, teacher and inspiration to scores of young lawyers who had the great privilege to practice with him or, in some cases, against him. Bill was fond of travel, tennis, skiing, fine food and good companionship over a glass, or two, of wine. He will be sorely missed. Bill was preceded in death by his sister, Mary E. Hutchison. He is survived by his daughter, Julie Guethlein Cotton of Englewood, FL; son, Robert Morri of Louisville; and granddaughter, Elizabeth Nicole Saltsman of Pell City, AL. A memorial service of remembrance will held 6:30 p.m. Friday, Ratterman's, 3711 Lexington Road. There will be a visitation prior to the service 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Louisville Bar Foundation, 600 West Main Street, Suite 110, Louisville, KY, 40202.

IN MEMORIM: Retired judge Squire Williams Jr., 90, dies

From the Herald Leader.  I apologize for the delay in posting, but Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 208 Steele St., Frankfort, KY 40601, or South Frankfort Presbyterian Church Remembrance Trust Fund, 224 Steele St., Frankfort, KY 40601.

Retired judge Squire Williams Jr., 90, dies

BY CHARLIE PEARL
July 16, 2008

Squire N. Williams Jr. retired as Franklin Circuit Court judge in 1983. He died Tuesday at home.

Squire N. Williams Jr. - a retired Franklin Circuit Court judge who also served 10 years on the Kentucky Court of Appeals when it was the state's supreme court - died at his home in Two Creeks subdivision Tuesday. He was 90.

Williams also served as an assistant attorney general, a Franklin County judge pro tem and trial commissioner, and on the Kentucky Public Service Commission.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at South Frankfort Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in Frankfort Cemetery.

Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church.

"He was a very dear friend," said retired Franklin Circuit Judge Henry Meigs, who now lives in Louisville.
"We were colleagues on the bench for 15 years and he had the gentlest nature of anybody I ever knew. If he had any enemies they stayed hidden because I didn't know of any.

"We had a very happy cooperation in Franklin Circuit Court. He was affable and enjoyable company and we played golf together a lot."

Retired Franklin Circuit Judge William L. Graham was Williams' successor when he retired in December 1983.

"He was very helpful to me when I first became judge and I appreciated it," Graham said. "He was a great friend and a fine, fine judge. As is typical in Franklin Circuit Court, he handled a lot of difficult cases and he handled them well. He had great respect among the bar association and his fellow judicial officers.

"He was a gentle spirit and he respected people from all walks of life who came before him."

Franklin Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland said he practiced in front of Williams for years until he retired.

"I thought he hung the moon," Cleveland said. "He was just a great judge."

Hearing of his death saddened Cleveland.

"He was heroic to me and I always looked forward to seeing him at any event," Cleveland said.

Retired Kentucky Supreme Court Justice John Palmore said he and Williams went on the Court of Appeals at the same time in November 1959.

"I will miss Squire," Palmore said. "He was a wonderful, wonderful guy and an excellent judge. He was fair and honest. Everybody loved him. He and his late wife, Doris, were two of the most lovable people I have ever known."

One of Williams' daughters, retired Franklin Circuit Court Clerk Janice Marshall, said her father "was the strongest person I have ever known. He taught me to be a good citizen and a compassionate person.
He gave me the tools to live a good life."

She said her father "came from good stock. His parents were kind, considerate, loving and church-going, but not material people. And my dad was very frugal. He did well in life but he certainly didn't go out and buy a Mercedes every year."

Marshall worked as court administrator for her father and Meigs in Franklin Circuit Court from 1975 to 1985, "and dad taught me a good work ethic." She was circuit clerk from 1988 to 2006.

In her childhood, "all dad had to do was hold my hand and that would cure whatever ailed me at the time," she said. "I think our roles reversed in his last years."

Marshall, and her husband, Les, lived with Williams the last nine years.

"Mom died in 1998 and we moved in with him a year later," Janice Marshall said.

"He had Parkinson's disease, congestive heart failure and he fell and broke his back about three years ago. He died of old age. He developed an infection a couple of weeks ago and couldn't get over it. He died very peacefully at home."

Born in Frenchburg in Menifee County on Nov. 8, 1917, Squire Needham Williams Jr. received his law degree from the University of Kentucky in 1942. At UK he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.

During World War II he was an officer and aviator in the Pacific Fleet. After the war, he began his career as an attorney and spent most of his years as a judge.

He was a member of the American, Kentucky and Franklin County Bar associations, VFW Post 4075, South Frankfort Presbyterian Church where he was an elder, and the Frankfort Country Club. He served on the Salvation Army Board.

In addition to his daughter, Janice Marshall, other survivors include one son, Squire N. "Will" Williams III, Frankfort, and two daughters, Laura Majnich, Roanoke, Va., and Kathy Williams, Lexington; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Doris Williams, his sister, Geraldine Warren; and his parents, Squire Needham Williams Sr. and Mary Lee Spencer Williams.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 208 Steele St., Frankfort, KY 40601, or South Frankfort Presbyterian Church Remembrance Trust Fund, 224 Steele St., Frankfort, KY 40601.

IN MEMORIAM: William T. "Buddy" Bishop, III

Equine law specialist, trustee 'saw Keeneland grow up' [click on heading for entire story from Herald Leader]

As the son of Keeneland's general manager, William T. "Buddy" Bishop III spent his childhood playing hide-and-seek in the grandstand and riding ponies over its hallowed track. He lived in a part of what is now the clubhouse, and romped under the sycamore in the grassy paddock.

Few people have such a childhood and even fewer can go back home again, as Mr. Bishop did, in one of the most coveted roles in thoroughbred racing. Mr. Bishop topped a distinguished career as an equine law specialist with his appointment as one of three trustees of the Keeneland Association Inc., the trust that governs the venerable track and sales company.

Mr. Bishop, 64, died Thursday, the day before the opening of the racetrack's spring meet. After battling cancer for almost three years, he died of a stroke.