Bench & Bar March/April 2025

KENTUCKY BAR FOUNDATION

KENTUCKY BAR FOUNDATION HONORS MINTON AWARD DINNER CHI EF JUST I CE

AND John D. Minton, Jr. Charles E. English

The Kentucky Bar Foundation hosted its inaugural Chief Justice Minton Award fundraising dinner, attended by more than 340 attorneys, judges, and community members on February 6, 2025, in Bowling Green. The event raised over $62,000 with proceeds going towards grants for law-re lated organizations and projects throughout the Commonwealth. This award honors the career and legacy of Chief Justice John D. Minton, Jr., and his work to improve the legal system and make it more accessible and efficient for all Kentuckians. John D. Minton, Jr. (ret.) served as Chief Justice of Kentucky from 2008-2023. He is credited with steering the Commonwealth’s unified court system through the challenges presented by the Great Recession and the COVID pandemic. During his tenure, he prioritized investment in the elected and non-elected people who operate the courts by updating personnel policies and over hauling the Judicial Branch’s lagging salary structure.

He oversaw investment in court technology to improve efficiency in court operations and enhance statewide access to the justice system. His sweeping technology initiative brought e-filing at the trial-court and appel late-court level to every Kentucky county. During his tenure, the Kentucky Supreme Court adopted the Commonwealth’s first uniform Family Court Rules and Juvenile Court Rules. He collaborated with the Exec utive and Legislative branches to carry out penal code and juvenile-justice reform. He formed Kentucky’s Access to Justice Com mission and, most recently, the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. In 2016-2017, he was president of the Con ference of Chief Justices and chair of the National Center for State Courts Board of Directors. He was appointed to the State Justice Institute Board of Directors in 2016 and currently serves as Chair. Before joining the Kentucky Supreme Court as a justice in 2006, he engaged in the private practice of law and served 13 years as judge of the

Warren Circuit Court and three years as a judge on the Court of Appeals of Ken tucky. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and a juris doctor’s degree from University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law. He is associated of-counsel with the Bowling Green law firm Bell, Orr, Ayers & Moore, PSC. The award named for Chief Justice Minton is given to a Second District Kentucky attor ney who embodies Chief Justice Minton’s outstanding character, professionalism, and commitment to promoting and advancing the fair and impartial administration of justice in the Commonwealth. Our first Minton Award honored Charles E. English for his outstanding contributions to the legal community. Charles E. English's distinguished legal career spans over six decades, with exper tise in accounting and law forming the cornerstone of his practice. As a founding partner of English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley,

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