A former state representative and a Commonwealth prosecutor, won a judge removed from the bench.

Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman testified in Frankfort today to a committee of lawmakers who will decide whether to impeach her on grounds she abused her position in ruling on criminal cases.

Our June Leffler explains.

Goodman, a former prosecutor and big law litigator, has spent 18 years as a judge.

Her current term ends in 2031.

A petition for lawmakers to impeach her and potentially remove her from elected office cites her conduct in six cases.

I could not be run by how the public would feel or how you all would feel.

I had to do what was right legally.

The petition mentions when an appeals court has not only overturned her rulings, but wrote of possible abuses.

In its opinion.

The allegations that she usurped the power of the grand jury, usurped the power of the jury, usurped the power of the prosecutor, became her own witness, did her own investigation.

A former Republican state lawmaker, Kilian Timoney, who is running again after suffering defeat in 2024, filed the petition against Goodman.

He claims she disregarded or violated the law in several rulings.

Goodman then sued him and state lawmakers for proceeding with impeachment hearings.

Her lawyers say the proceedings infringe on her due process rights.

She cannot confront her accuser in violation of her due process rights, because we don't know who it is.

Because Mr.

Timoney did not verify his petition by means of an affidavit.

And if we cannot cross examine the witnesses, she has no right of confrontation there either.

Timoney did not testify today.

Instead, a Commonwealth prosecutor spoke up.

The end goal is that I think she's violated her duties and the trust enough that she no longer needs to sit on the bench.

She says.

Goodman has a bias against her office and rules more often for defense attorneys.

We have to talk to victims about what to expect from her and any ruling that may come up, which usually will be against us.

And we try to resolve those cases to take away as many rulings from her as we can.

One example of this, Kimberly Baird, presented findings that Goodman rules to suppress evidence much more often than her fellow Fayette County judges.

The four courtrooms other than Judge Goodman's courtroom.

The defendant success rate changes ranges between 12 and 32%.

Is that.

Correct?

Yes.

And in Judge Goodman courtroom, the defendants were successful 80% of the time.

That is correct.

So I'm trying to understand why this discrepancy here is so large.

Goodman's counsel reminds the committee that prosecutors, not defense attorneys, carry the burden of proof to convict.

The fact that you lose now and then is just part of the deal.

And the fact that a judge is tough on you is just the way it is, because judges are holding the government to the highest possible standards.

A judge that isn't doing that isn't doing their job.

Impeachment proceedings are initiated in the House where, if carried through, would prompt a trial in the Senate where a conviction must be secured with two thirds of the senators present.

For Kentucky edition, I'm June Leffler.