Published: August 07, 2008 08:31 am            

London man in the running for chief justice seat

Field for seat of retired Lambert narrows to three

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

A London man is among the three nominees announced by the Judicial Nominating Commission Tuesday to fill the 3rd Supreme Court District seat, left vacant by the June retirement of then chief justice Joseph Lambert.

Robert W. Dyche III is a London native and a graduate of London High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Centre College in Danville and his law degree from the University of Kentucky School of Law in 1975. From 1978 to 1986, Dyche served as Knox-Laurel District Judge and from 1986 to 2006 served as a judge on the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which is the second highest court to the Supreme Court. He also served on the Judicial Conduct Commission from 2002 to 2006 and the Ethics committee of the Kentucky Judiciary from 1997 to 2002.

Dyche believes his familiarity with the district and his experience will aid him in getting the governor’s appointment.

“I’m familiar with the district and have been elected from the district several times,” Dyche said previously. “I feel I’m the most qualified candidate because I’ve served eight years as a district judge and 20 years on the Court of Appeals.”

Dyche is married to Jane Winkler Dyche and has two sons, Robert Dyche IV and John Dyche.

Kentucky’s 3rd Supreme Court District serves Adair, Bell, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Estill, Garrard, Green, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lee, Leslie, Lincoln, Marion, McCreary, Metcalfe, Monroe, Nelson, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Taylor, Washington, Wayne and Whitley counties.

In June, five people submitted applications to the governor’s office to express their interest in filling the vacancy. Now that the field has been narrowed to three candidates per the Kentucky Constitution, Gov. Steve Beshear has 60 days to appoint one of the three to temporarily fill the 3rd Supreme Court District vacancy until the November election.

In a previous interview, Dyche said he was interested in serving in the position on a more long-term basis.

“I intend to seek the appointment and run this fall for the remainder of the term,” he said. The term would expire in 2010.

The other two nominees named by the commission were Eddie C. Lovelace and Daniel J. Venters. Lovelace has served as a Circuit Court judge for the 40th Judicial District since 1992. Prior to that, he was the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Clinton, Russell and Wayne counties from 1969 to 1992, the County Attorney for Clinton County from 1965 to 1969 and the attorney for the City of Albany from 1961 to 1965. He received his juris doctor in 1959 from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and was admitted to the Kentucky Bar in 1961.

Venters is a practicing attorney in Somerset, previously having served as Circuit Court and District Court judge. From 1979 to 2003, he served as a judge for the 28th Judicial District, which consists of Rockcastle and Pulaski counties. In 1984, Lincoln County was added to this district. Venters also served as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for these counties from 1975 to 1979. In 1975, he earned his juris doctor from the University of Kentucky and was admitted to practice by the Kentucky Bar the same year.

        

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