Bench & Bar September/October 2026

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

JOHN GHAELIAN serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General’s Consumer Protec tion Division, where he handles a variety of consumer protection and antitrust matters. Ghaelian previously served in the Attorney General’s Office, first in the Consumer Protection Division and later in the Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division, before returning to the Office in his current role. He began his legal career as a staff attorney for the 49 th Judicial Circuit, where he researched and drafted opin ions involving complex civil and criminal matters. He then joined the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General, where he investigated and litigated matters involving businesses, healthcare providers, and violations of the Kentucky Medical Assis tance Program Act. John subsequently served as general counsel for the Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Department of Workers’ Claims. After leaving the Labor Cabinet he accepted a position with Lockaby PLLC. Ghaelain is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history, graduating magna cum laude , and his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

CHRIS LEWIS is a native of Ken tucky. After graduating from Asbury College, Lewis served in the United States Army. Upon leaving active duty, he returned

1 See KRS 367.110 to .300. 2 Jack E. Karns, State Regulation of Decep tive Trade Practices Under “Little FTC Acts”: Should Federal Standards Control?, 94 Dick. L. Rev. 373, 374 (1990); See also KRS 367.170. 3 See e.g., Commonwealth of Kentucky ex rel. Andy Beshear Attorney General v. The United Auto Group , 17-CI-2788 (Fayette Circuit Court). 4 See e.g., Commonwealth of Kentucky ex rel. Andy Beshear Attorney General v. Crestlawn Ceme tery , 16-CI-318 (Scott Circuit Court). 5 See e.g., Commonwealth of Kentucky ex rel. Rus sell Coleman v. Margaret’s Moving, Inc. , 25-CI 771 (Franklin Circuit Court). 6 See e.g., Commonwealth of Kentucky ex rel. Russell Coleman v. The Kroger Co. , 24-CI-154 (Bullitt Circuit Court); See also Commonwealth of Kentucky, ex rel. Daniel Cameron, Attorney General v. AmerisourceBergen Corporation , 18 CI-167 (Floyd Circuit Court). 7 See e.g., Commonwealth of Kentucky ex rel. Rus sell Coleman v. TikTok, Inc. , 24-CI-824 (Scott Circuit Court). 8 See Skilcraft Sheetmetal, Inc. v. Kentucky Mach., Inc. , 836 S.W.2d 907, 909 (Ky. Ct. App. 1992). 9 See KRS 367.97501 to 367.97537. 10 See KRS 367.46967. 11 See KRS 367.650 to 367.670. 12 See Com. ex rel. Stephens v. N. Am. Van Lines, Inc. , 600 S.W.2d 459, 460 (Ky. Ct. App. 1979) (where the Court of Appeals recognized that to Kentucky to attend the University of Kentucky College of Law. After graduat ing, he entered private practice, where his practice focused primarily on mass tort, product liability, healthcare, insurance, and contract litigation. After 19 years in private practice, Lewis accepted a posi tion as executive director of the Office of Employee Relations within the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet. Lewis currently serves as Division Chief for Consumer & Senior Protection for the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General, where he oversees the Consumer Protection Division’s con sumer protection and antitrust litigation.

JORDAN HASENBALG is a second-year law student at Belmont University College of Law, where she serves as vice president of the Belmont Legal Aid Society. During the summer of 2026, Hasenbalg served as a Janet D. Steiger Fellow with the Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, focusing on antitrust and consumer protection matters. She hopes to build on this experience and her interest in antitrust law as she pursues a career in public service.

ENDNOTES

monwealth ex rel. Beshear , 2019 WL 2479608, at *6 (Ky. Ct. App. June 14, 2019). 24 See KRS 367.990(26)(b)(2). 25 See generally KRS 367.990(26)(b). 26 See KRS 367.990(26)(d). 27 Id. at (d)(1)-(7). 28 Id. at 26(c). 29 Am. Nat’l Univ. , 2019 WL at *4. 30 See 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 54 (S.B. 153); S ee also KRS 367.379. 31 See also 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 54 (S.B. 153). 32 See KRS 367.379(3)(a). 35 Kris Kristofferson, The Silver Tongued Devil and I , on THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL AND I (Monument Records 1971). 36 Dwight Yoakam, A Thousand Miles from No where , on THIS TIME (Reprise Records 1993). 37 See 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 141 (H.B. 568). 38 KRS 367.355(1)(a). 39 See KRS 367.355(1)(b). 40 See 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 118 (H.B. 692); See also KRS 367.3611-367.3629. 41 See KRS 367.3615. 42 See KRS 367.3617. 43 See KRS 367.3611. 44 In re Vizio, Inc., Consumer Priv. Litig. , 238 F. Supp. 3d 1204, 1212 (C.D. Cal. 2017). 45 Id . 33 See KRS 367.627. 34 See KRS 15.235.

the Attorney General’s authority to file suit under KRS 367.190 was broader than the right provided private litigants under KRS 367.220). 13 Com. ex rel. Chandler v. Anthem Ins. Compa nies, Inc. , 8 S.W.3d 48, 55 (Ky. Ct. App. 1999). 14 N. Am. Van Lines , 600 S.W.2d at 460-61. 15 Chandler , 8 S.W.3d at 55. 16 See KRS 367.240; See also KRS 367.250. 17 See KRS 367.190. Notably, the Attorney Gen eral’s ability to obtain injunctive relief is more relaxed than the standard presented under CR 65 not requiring proof of irreparable injury or that an adequate remedy at law does not exist. Id . at (3). 18 See KRS 367.230. 19 See KRS 367.200; S ee also Com. ex. Rel. Beshear, v. ABAC Pest Control, Inc. , 621 S.W.2d 705, 706 07 (Ky. App. 1981). 20 See KRS 367.990(26). 21 Johnny Cash, I Walk the Line , on JOHNNY CASH WITH HIS HOT AND BLUE GUITAR! (Sun Records 1957). 22 KRS 367.990(26)(a)(1). Id. at 26(a)(2). The amount increases to $10,000 per violation if the conduct is directed towards an individual “sixty (60) or older, and the trier of fact determines that the defendant knew or should have known that the person is aged sixty (60) or older and substantially more vulnerable than other mem bers of the public.” Id . at 26(b). 23 See Am. Nat’l Univ. of Kentucky, Inc. v. Com

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