Nearly 70 Kentucky lawyers have signed a letter opposing impeachment hearings scheduled this week against a Fayette Circuit Court judge, warning the move could create a dangerous precedent.
The state’s impeachment committee will meet Monday morning to decide whether to recommend impeachment for Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman, who has served in the role since 2019 and has practiced law for more than 40 years.
The impeachment petition was filed in January by former Republican state representative Killian Timoney, who is seeking to return to the state House after a previous electoral defeat. His petition alleges Goodman violated the law in rulings across six different cases.
However, attorneys who signed the letter emphasized that their opposition is not about whether Goodman’s rulings were correct. Instead, they argue that using impeachment in this situation could violate the constitutional separation of powers between government branches.
In the 234 years since Kentucky became a commonwealth, the state House has never impeached a sitting judge based solely on disagreements with judicial decisions.
The attorneys questioned whether Goodman is facing impeachment because her rulings were unlawful or simply unpopular.
“… The issue is not a left vs. right, Republican vs. Democrat, or prosecution vs. defense issue,” the 11-page letter states. “Indeed, it is much larger. Separation of powers, equal branches of government, and judicial independence are cornerstones of the constitutional democracy that we enjoy as Americans. These concepts are empty of meaning if the Committee impeaches a duly elected Judge based upon a handful of unpopular or controversial decisions.”
How Goodman Came Before the Committee
Timoney, a Jessamine County resident, filed the petition arguing Goodman abused her judicial authority and undermined public confidence in the courts in a way that constitutes “misdemeanors in office.”
He cited six cases that he believes justify impeachment, claiming the judge showed “refusal to obey legal precedent, outrageous demonstrations of bias, disregard of the separation of powers and an egregious pattern of judicial activism.”
One of the rulings mentioned in the petition was overturned by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in December.
In that case, Goodman dismissed charges against Cornell Thomas, 39, who had been charged with wanton murder after a 2020 crash near Leestown Road that killed Lexington resident Tammy Botkin, 50.
Goodman dismissed the case in 2023, arguing Thomas had been overcharged because of his race. In her order, she accused Fayette County prosecutors of systemic racial bias.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman intervened and sent the case to the Court of Appeals. His office intervened in three cases involving Goodman over several months, all of which were referenced in Timoney’s petition. Coleman’s office said it did not assist Timoney in drafting the petition.
In her initial response, Goodman said the petition was deficient because it lacked a required affidavit.
Goodman and her attorneys also argue that Timoney highlighted only six cases out of nearly 72,000 Goodman handled during her 18 years on the bench. They say the petition fails to clearly identify a misdemeanor committed in office, which is required for impeachment.
Goodman filed a lawsuit against lawmakers and Timoney last week asking a judge to block the impeachment proceedings, arguing they violate her due process rights.
Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd declined to hold a hearing before Monday’s proceedings and instead scheduled a status conference for March 17.
Shepherd said intervening beforehand could represent an “intrusion into the legislative branch.” He added that while he could not prevent the hearing from occurring, he could later review concerns if procedural issues arise.
The committee hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Prosecutor Calls for Removal
Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Baird has submitted a written statement urging the committee to remove Goodman from office.
“In review of Judge Goodman’s behavior on the bench, there is a true appearance of partiality, and no public confidence in the integrity of the judicial process, for this office or any victims that come before her,” Baird wrote. “That trust and confidence cannot be restored.”
Baird also submitted nearly 400 pages of court transcripts, which she said show “rude” and “condescending” comments Goodman made toward prosecutors during court proceedings.
Attorneys Warn of Long-Term Impact
In their letter, the 66 attorneys argued that the proceedings could set a dangerous precedent by overriding the will of voters who elected the judge.
Most of the signatories are defense attorneys, though others involved in the justice system also signed the letter.
The document cites comments from former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist and current Chief Justice John Roberts.
Rehnquist previously stated that judicial rulings alone should not serve as grounds for impeachment.
“This only makes sense, for if the impeachment process is used to punish Judges for their rulings, the vital independence of the judicial branch will be irreparably threatened,” the attorneys’ letter states.
The letter also references comments Roberts made in a May 2025 Associated Press report: “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
Peter Ostermiller, a longtime Kentucky lawyer recognized as an expert on ethics and professional responsibility, reviewed Goodman’s petition and response and concluded that the alleged conduct “does not even violate the Kentucky Code of Judicial Conduct.”
Lexington defense attorney Russ Baldani, who helped draft the letter and signed it, said impeaching a judge over controversial rulings could have serious long-term consequences.
“There are a lot of people who signed this who believe in the rule of law and constitutional democracy,” Baldani told the Herald-Leader. “They believe that impeaching a judge for controversial rulings would set a horrendous precedent.”
Julie Goodman’s son, Clay Goodman, also criticized the impeachment effort in a letter to the Herald-Leader, calling it political and driven by a personal grievance.
“She loves her profession, it defines her, and the positive impact she has made on our community is why she has continued to serve us these last 18 years,” Clay Goodman wrote.
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