John D. Minton, Jr.

John D. Minton Jr. is the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court. Minton was elected to the court in November 2006 to represent the 2nd Supreme Court District after having been appointed to the Supreme Court on July 24, 2006, to fill a vacancy created by Justice William S. Cooper, who retired June 30, 2006. Minton was elected Chief Justice by his fellow justices on the court to replace retiring Chief Justice Joseph E. Lambert and was sworn in on June 28, 2008.

Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Minton served as judge for the Kentucky Court of Appeals, representing the 2nd Appellate District. He was elected to the Court of Appeals in November 2003 and served there until his appointment to the Supreme Court in July 2006. He was a circuit judge for the 8th Judicial Circuit, which consists of Warren County, from 1992 to 2003 before being elected to the Court of Appeals. From 1996 to 2003, he also served by special appointment of Chief Justice Lambert as chief regional judge for the Green River Region, a 21-county area.

While on the circuit bench, Justice Minton was recognized by the Kentucky Court of Justice for his leadership in forming Warren County Drug Court and for his commitment to law-related education programs. In 2003, the Kentucky Bar Association honored him with its Outstanding Judge Award. He is also a graduate of the National Judicial College.

Before his election to the Circuit Court Bench, Justice Minton practiced law in Bowling Green for nearly 15 years. He earned a bachelor's degree with honors in history and English from Western Kentucky University in 1974 and he earned his juris doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1977.

Justice Minton is a member of Broadway United Methodist Church in Bowling Green and a former lay leader for the Kentucky Conference of The United Methodist Church. He currently serves on the board of the Student Life Foundation at Western Kentucky University. He is also a member and past president of the Bowling Green Rotary Club and a former member of the board of directors of Shakertown at South Union.

He is married to the former Susan Lenell Page, a Bowling Green native. They have a daughter, Page Sullivan Minton, and a son, John D. Minton, III.

Justice Minton is the son of Dr. and Mrs. John D. Minton of Bowling Green. Dr. Minton previously served at Western Kentucky University as a history professor and as the fifth president of that institution.

External links

* [http://courts.ky.gov/courts/supreme/justices/minton.htm Kentucky Courts site]