Bench & Bar July/August 2025

"worse than jail." Finally, on May 2, 2024, Judge Hall made inappropriate remarks from the bench about a defendant after his sentencing, remarking that the defen dant just “wants to dope ‘til he dies” and discussed the case with the next defendant. These comments revealed unprofessional and personal bias, undermining the dignity of the judiciary and public confidence in his impartiality. The Commission concludes that Judge Hall’s conduct violated SCR 4.020(1)(b)(i) by engaging in misconduct in office. The Commission further concludes that Judge Hall violated SCR 4.300 and the relevant portions of the following Rules of the Code of Judicial Conduct: Rule 1.2 which requires judges to act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary and to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

Rule 2.3(A) which prohibits judges from performing their judicial duties with bias or prejudice. Rule 2.4(C) which prohibits judges from conveying or permitting others to convey the impression that any person or organi zation is in a position to influence the judge. Rule 2.8(B) which requires judges to be patient, dignified, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, court staff, court officials, and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity. Rule 2.9(A) which prohibits judges from initiating, permitting, or considering ex parte communications or consider other communications made to the judge outside the presence of the parties or their lawyers, concerning a pending or impeding matter. Rule 2.9(C) which prohibits judges from investigating facts in a matter inde pendently and requires judges to only

consider evidence presented and any facts that may be properly judicially noticed. Based on the foregoing conduct, Judge Hall is hereby publicly reprimanded. In render ing its disposition, the Commission duly considered that Judge Hall fully cooperated in the matter. Date: April 2, 2025 _________/s/_ ____________________________ R. MICHAEL SULLIVAN, CHAIR Agreed to: ______________/s/__________________ _______________ Hon. Howard Keith Hall, Circuit Court Judge

Judge Coleman recused in this matter.

commonwealth of kentucky JUDICIAL CONDUCT COMMISSION IN RE THE MATTER OF: HOWARD KEITH HALL, CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE DIVISION II, 35 TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT ORDER SUSPENDING TEMPORARILY FROM THE PERFORMANCE OF JUDICIAL DUTIES

Howard Keith Hall is a Circuit Court Judge for Kentucky’s 35 th Judicial Circuit consist ing of Pike County. 1 Pursuant to SCR 4.020(1)(a)(ii) the Judicial Conduct Commission shall have authority “to suspend temporarily from the perfor mance of judicial duties, without affecting his/her compensation any judge against whom there is pending in any court of the United States an indictment or information

charging him/her with a crime punishable as a felony.” On April 17, 2025, the Judicial Conduct Commission was made aware of the Indict ment by the United States of America in case no. 3:25-cr-00005-GFVT-MAS filed in the Eastern District of Kentucky, Central Division at Lexington on April 17, 2025 against Howard Keith Hall who is presently Circuit Court Judge, Division II in Pike

County, Kentucky. Judge Hall is charged by the United States with the commission of three (3) felony counts and a forfeiture allegation seeking a money judgment. The Indictment alleges events occurring when Judge Hall was County Attorney of Pike County during 2010-2020 and alleges claims of “a scheme and artifice to defraud and obtain money by materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.” The Indictment further states

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