On Friday, December 30, 2022, the respondent, Judge Ann Ruttle, a District Court Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit, Division One, filed a motion before the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission to reschedule the formal hearing regarding her case.

A Notice of Formal Proceedings and Charges dated November 10, 2022, was issued against Judge Ruttle. The charges stemmed from her conduct in Commonwealth v. Comer, in which she did not apply the law concerning the appointment of counsel for the indigent, even if defendant Cromer at the time of her arraignment, requested for an appointed counsel as she could not afford an attorney. Judge Ruttle informed Cromer to return at the pre-trial conference with proof of income, and again denied Cromer’s request, saying that Cromer do not qualify for the public defender.

On December 16, 2022, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission denied the Motion for Oral Hearing on the Motion to dismiss filed by the Respondent. The Said Motion for Oral Hearing has been denied with a vote of 5-0. The respondent stated in response that “It is evident that the Chairperson of the commission acted unilaterally without input from any of the commission.” which the Commission immediately opposed and stated as incorrect. They assured that the respondent’s motion had been considered properly.

The Judicial Conduct Commission also ordered that the respondent has 10 days from the date of the Issuance of the Order to respond to the Objection to the Request for the Production of Documents.

In relation to the matter of Judge Ann Ruttle’s case, a Formal Hearing was supposed to be set. However, the respondent requested for the Commission to reschedule the Formal Hearing Date to March 22, 2023. The Motion stated that the 16th Judicial District where the respondent belongs has only two of its three allocated Judges for conducting court business.

The Judge earned a law degree from Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1984.

The Judge’s courtroom is located at 230 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011. Kenton County and can be reached at 859-292-6576. Her bio can be found on Ballotpedia.com.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.