Kentucky Case Commentaries

RAP 21 Stays Require Particularized, Immediate Irreparable Harm: No Automatic Stay of Merits Pending Class-Certification Appeals

Date: Oct 28, 2025

RAP 21 Stays Require Particularized, Immediate Irreparable Harm: No Automatic Stay of Merits Pending Class-Certification Appeals Case: Toby Berry, on Behalf of Himself and a Certified Class v....

Minor v. Commonwealth: Clarifying Kentucky’s Domestic-Violence Parole Exemption and the “In-Custody Video” Prejudice Test

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Minor v. Commonwealth: Clarifying Kentucky’s Domestic-Violence Parole Exemption and the “In-Custody Video” Prejudice Test Introduction In Devin J. Minor v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Supreme Court...

The “Paintsville Standard”: Qualified Official Immunity Bars Vicarious-Liability and Special-Relationship Claims Against Kentucky Public Entities

Date: Aug 15, 2025

The “Paintsville Standard”: Qualified Official Immunity Bars Vicarious-Liability and Special-Relationship Claims Against Kentucky Public Entities Introduction City of Paintsville v. Haney,...

Affirmation of Trial Courts’ Discretion to Amend Penalty-Phase Instructions Mid-Deliberation: Commentary on Bobby Anderson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (2025)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Affirmation of Trial Courts’ Discretion to Amend Penalty-Phase Instructions Mid-Deliberation: Commentary on Bobby Anderson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2025) Introduction The Supreme Court of...

Blaker v. Kroger – Reaffirming the Independence of Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Adjudications from Social-Security Disability Findings

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Blaker v. Kroger – Reaffirming the Independence of Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Adjudications from Social-Security Disability Findings Introduction In Robert Blaker, Jr. v. The Kroger Company, the...

Affirmative Approval Equals Waiver: Kentucky Supreme Court Re-affirms that Explicit Agreement to Jury Instructions Waives Double-Jeopardy and Jury-Unanimity Claims

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Affirmative Approval Equals Waiver: Kentucky Supreme Court Re-affirms that Explicit Agreement to Jury Instructions Waives Double-Jeopardy and Jury-Unanimity Claims Introduction Michael Dodson, the...

Restitution and Candor as Absolute Conditions for Bar Reinstatement – A Commentary on In Re: Travis Olen Myles, Jr.

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Restitution and Candor as Absolute Conditions for Bar Reinstatement – Supreme Court of Kentucky Defines the Outer Limits in In Re: Travis Olen Myles, Jr. 1. Introduction The Supreme Court of...

No Advantage Through Threats: Kentucky Supreme Court Re-Affirms that Subjective Belief Cannot Excuse Violations of SCR 3.130(3.4)(f) and 8.2(a)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

No Advantage Through Threats: Kentucky Supreme Court Re-Affirms that Subjective Belief Cannot Excuse Violations of SCR 3.130(3.4)(f) and 8.2(a) 1. Introduction The Supreme Court of Kentucky’s opinion...

“When the Defendant Tells His Own Story” – Kentucky Clarifies the Scope of the “Inextricably Intertwined” Exception to KRE 404(b)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

“When the Defendant Tells His Own Story” – Kentucky Clarifies the Scope of the “Inextricably Intertwined” Exception to KRE 404(b) Introduction In Damon R. Cruse v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Supreme...

Granting Expert Funding Yet Denying a Continuance: The New Prohibition in Simpson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Granting Expert Funding Yet Denying a Continuance: The New Prohibition in Simpson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky Introduction In Ronald Simpson v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Supreme Court of Kentucky,...

“Disposal-Likelihood” & Fair-Market Valuation: The Ooten Clarification on Directed-Verdict Standards in Kentucky Theft and Criminal Mischief Cases

Date: Aug 15, 2025

“Disposal-Likelihood” & Fair-Market Valuation: Ooten v. Commonwealth Clarifies Kentucky’s Directed-Verdict Thresholds in Theft and Criminal Mischief Cases 1. Introduction In Jesse Ooten v....

Cuthbertson v. Commonwealth: Clarifying “Forcible Compulsion” and the Limits of Reading Surplusage in Indictments

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Cuthbertson v. Commonwealth: Clarifying “Forcible Compulsion” and the Limits of Reading Surplusage in Indictments Introduction This commentary examines the Kentucky Supreme Court’s unpublished...

“Physically Impossible Threats” and the Objective Prong of Protection-of-Another – A Commentary on Jones v. Commonwealth (Ky. 2025)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

“Physically Impossible Threats” and the Objective Prong of Protection-of-Another – A Commentary on Jones v. Commonwealth (Ky. 2025) 1. Introduction In Dazzamon R. Jones v. Commonwealth of Kentucky,...

“Agreed-Order Waiver” and the Boundaries of KRE 404(b): A Commentary on Robert Geary v. Commonwealth of Kentucky

Date: Aug 15, 2025

“Agreed-Order Waiver” and the Boundaries of KRE 404(b): A Commentary on Robert Geary v. Commonwealth of Kentucky 1. Introduction In Robert Geary v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Supreme Court of...

Textual Primacy & Limited Scrivener’s-Error Doctrine in Kentucky Administrative Law – Commentary on Professional Home Health Care v. Commonwealth (Ky. 2025)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Textual Primacy & the Narrow Reach of the Scrivener’s-Error Doctrine: Commentary on Professional Home Health Care v. Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services, Supreme Court of...

“Qualified Official Immunity Over Special-Relationship Duties” – A Commentary on Paula M. Haney v. City of Paintsville (Ky. 2025)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Qualified Official Immunity Over Special-Relationship Duties: The Kentucky Supreme Court’s Comprehensive Immunity Road-Map in Haney v. City of Paintsville (2025) 1. Introduction On 14 August 2025 the...

The “Ross–Haydon Distinction” Reaffirmed: Sovereign Immunity Bars Refunds of Funds Due to the Commonwealth but Not of Money Never Owed

Date: Aug 15, 2025

The “Ross–Haydon Distinction” Reaffirmed: Kentucky’s High Court Limits Sovereign Immunity to State Funds But Allows Restitution of Money Never Actually Owed 1. Introduction On 14 August 2025 the...

“Equal Authority over Pedestrian and Motorist Stops”: Commentary on Jon Buechele v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2025)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

“Equal Authority over Pedestrian and Motorist Stops” A Comprehensive Commentary on Jon Buechele v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Supreme Court of Kentucky, 2025) 1. Introduction In Jon Buechele v....

Commonwealth v. Brown: Kentucky Supreme Court Clarifies Admissibility of Third-Party Database Records under KRE 803(17)

Date: Aug 15, 2025

Commonwealth v. Brown: Kentucky Supreme Court Clarifies Admissibility of Third-Party Database Records under KRE 803(17) 1. Introduction Isaiah Brown’s appeal required the Supreme Court of Kentucky to...

When Love, Not Marriage, Makes a Parent: Kentucky Recognises Joint De-Facto Custodianship for Unmarried Cohabitants and Resets the Clock on Intervention

Date: Aug 15, 2025

When Love, Not Marriage, Makes a Parent: Kentucky Recognises Joint De-Facto Custodianship for Unmarried Cohabitants and Resets the Clock on Intervention 1. Introduction In David Lemaster v. Kendra...