Bench & Bar September/October 2026

PORTRAIT DEDICATION

views helped him win the Supreme Court seat. He was quoted as saying at the time that society’s drug problem was “strangling the criminal justice system to death.” Within six weeks of retiring from the Supreme Court in 2006, Justice Graves wrote Sara Walter Combs, then chief judge of the Court of Appeals, asking to serve there. He “couldn’t stand being unemployed, not in the service of the law,” she said. Although it was not the usual progression to go from the Supreme Court to the interme diate appellate court, Justice Graves served as a special judge on the Court of Appeals from 2007 to 2009. He joined those who have served at all four levels of Kentucky’s court system. “I esteemed him very highly when he was on the Supreme Court and never dreamed that I’d get to know him personally,” Judge Combs said, calling Justice Graves her “good friend.” Justice Graves joined the Court of Appeals during a period of transition, Judge Combs said. “But he came on and lent an air of stabil ity, an equanimity and congeniality, along with the legal knowledge,” she said. “I would like to emphasize that aspect of this lovely man. It was his touch of graciousness with the human race that I think set him apart

Justice Graves’ life beyond the law still cir cles back to Notre Dame. As a freshman, he met future talk show host Phil Dona hue and joined about 10 men who called themselves “the Gang.” They gathered for reunions, football games and visits to Dona hue’s Connecticut home. Some attended Justice Graves’ first Supreme Court investiture, including Donahue, who stood in back taking photos and tried not to attract attention as the justice’s more lib eral friend, according to a news report. Four members remain. They watched an online stream of the portrait dedication. Justice Graves still joins the Gang for a Notre Dame football game each year and plans to attend the Notre Dame-Miami game this fall. Mention Justice Graves to anyone who is over the age of 65 and knows of him and they’ll still sing the jingle, Denton said: “Vote J.W. Bill Graves for his qualifica tions …” The excitement of the portrait dedication briefly made Justice Graves consider run ning for office again. His wife, Mary Ann, opposed the idea. “Not in her lifetime,” he recalled her saying.

The portrait that frames Justice Graves’ story almost did not happen. After return ing to private practice, he saw little reason to display his likeness at the Capitol, where he believed few people from Western Kentucky would see it. “I have to give Justice Nickell credit for kick ing me in the butt because a kick in the butt is really forward motion,” he said. Justice Nickell approached Kentucky por trait artist Fred Biggs, who offered to paint the portrait at no cost. “As a Kentucky historian, I felt Justice Graves was deserving of recognition for the duration of excellence of his public service,” Biggs said. PRO BONO Justice Graves continues his legal work from home, handling pro bono matters and preparing briefs for a local attorney. He also helps friends in need, said W. David Denton, a Paducah attorney and friend. To Denton, helping others says more about Justice Graves than any snappy court decision. “He always tries to do the right thing,” Denton said.

from many of his colleagues and peers and to this day will set him apart always in our memory. He has the human touch. He cares about people. He made the law serve the people, not the master, not the rod that punishes, but the tool that gives hope. That was always his approach to the law.” Some of Justice Graves’ friends, known as “the Gang,” took time for a photo on the Supreme Court bench at the justice’s investiture in 1995. Justice Graves (seated left) and the Gang, which included famous talk show host Phil Donahue (third from left), met at Notre Dame in the 50s and have main tained a lifelong friendship.

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