Jason Shea Fleming, a Christian County Family Court judge since 2007, has announced he will seek an open seat on the Kentucky Court of Appeals to represent the 1st Appellate District, Division 2.
The court vacancy was recreated when Donna Dixon, of Paducah, resigned on Nov. 20. She is now a candidate for McCracken County commonwealth’s attorney, the Paducah Sun newspaper reported Wednesday.
When a vacancy occurs on the court, a Judicial Nominating Committee meets with the chief justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court to select three nominees to be forwarded to the governor.
The governor must appoint a judge from the list of three nominees within 60 days of receiving the names. If the governor does not appoint a judge, the chief justice makes the appointment.
Fleming, who resides in Crofton, said in a press release that he “brings a wealth of judicial experience and a deep understanding of the legal system to this pivotal campaign.”
He said he has demonstrated “an exceptional ability to navigate sensitive matters with empathy and fairness” while presiding in complex family law cases.
Prior to becoming a family court judge, Fleming was in private practice and served as an assistant county attorney in Christian County. He graduated from the University of Kentucky’s J. David Rosenberg College of Law in 1997. The school presented its Distinguished Jurist Award to Fleming last summer.
Fleming and his wife, attorney Tonya Fleming, have two children. His father, Jim Fleming, is a former Christian County magistrate.
Judges on the Court of Appeals are elected to serve for eight years. Dixon left the court with seven years remaining in her term.
“Fourteen judges, two elected from seven appellate court districts, serve on the Court of Appeals,” states the Kentucky Court of Justice website. “The judges are divided into panels of three to review and decide cases, with the majority determining the decision. The panels do not sit permanently in one location, but travel about the state to hear cases.”
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
