On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission (JCC) filed two new charges against suspended 42nd Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jamie Jameson.

The two new charges cited violations of Canon 1, Rule 1.1, Canon 1, Rule 1.2, Canon 1, Rule 1.3, Canon 2, Rule 2.12 (A), Canon 2, Rule 2.16(A), and Canon 2, Rule 2.16(B) of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which require:

A judge to comply with the law.

A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety, and the appearance of impropriety.

Prohibits a judge from abusing the prestige of judicial office to advance the personal or economic interests of the judge or others, or allowing others to do so.

A judge shall require court staff, court officials, and others subject to the judge’s direction and control to act in a manner consistent with the judge’s obligations under this Code.

Prohibits a judge from retaliating, directly or indirectly, against a person known or suspected to have assisted or cooperated with an investigation of a judge or a lawyer.

A judge shall cooperate and be candid and honest with judicial and lawyer disciplinary agencies, including the Judicial Conduct Commission.

Judge Jameson was suspended with pay in August as a result of the four original charges, which alleged that he established a conflict of interest in relation to an ankle monitoring program he initiated. He is also charged with using his position as a judge to exert pressure on attorneys and others to donate and support his political campaign as well as acting in retaliation against a Marshall County Sheriff’s Office employee by attempting to have the person fired or reassigned. Judge Jameson filed a motion to appeal the suspension but it was unanimously denied.

Now, the JCC filed two new charges against Judge Jameson alleging that he repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice and violated the terms of his suspension.

Count V stated that during the course of the JCC’s proceedings, Judge Jameson repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice and impede the JCC’s authority to investigate the charges against him. Specifically, JCC said that the judge intimidated witnesses involved in the proceedings and attempted to dissuade his
judicial staff from complying with a JCC subpoena.

The filling reads:

“Upon learning that AOC instructed your judicial staff to disregard your demands, you again contacted your staff and, this time instructed them to send all documents they intended to produce to you for review before sending them to AOC. After this revised instruction, AOC was again forced to intervene and advise your judicial staff that they should once again disregard your unlawful instructions.”

Count VI alleged that following Judge Jameson’s temporary suspension, he engaged in a pattern of non-compliance and interference with JCC orders. Judge Jameson allegedly failed to adhere to the terms of his temporary suspension by contacting his judicial staff and availing himself of judicial resources.

The filing states:

“As a part of your temporary suspension on August 15, 2022, you were prohibited from accessing court resources. However, notwithstanding your suspension, you have continued to access your judicial e-mail account and contact your staff members for purposes related to your judicial role.”

Judge Jameson has 15 days to respond to the notice, and then a hearing date will be scheduled.

The Judge earned a law degree from Northern Kentucky University.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.