Henderson judge candidate denied admittance to Kentucky Bar Association

The Kentucky Supreme Court has denied a Henderson-area district judge candidate's appeal to be admitted to the state's bar association after it determined the law school he attended is not accredited in Kentucky.

Christopher D. Jefferson is listed in election filings as challenging Henderson District Judge Leslie Newman in District 51, Division 2. But the supreme court's ruling throws Jefferson's candidacy into question.

The Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions previously determined Jefferson's law degree was not issued by an institution accredited by either the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools, as is required by Kentucky law.

Jefferson did not respond to an emailed request for comment prior to the publication of this article.

In a written opinion issued Thursday, the court sided with the bar association and determined The Birmingham School of Law, where Jefferson attended, was not properly accredited.

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In court filings, Jefferson argued the school was accredited by relevant institutions in Alabama, and said Kentucky should reciprocate those accreditations, a line or argument the state's highest court flatly rejected in its Thursday ruling.

"The fact the Birmingham School of Law may be regulated and 'accredited' by the Alabama legislature or the Alabama Supreme Court, as argued by Jefferson, does not meet our requirements or rules," the court wrote in its opinion.

Jefferson also asked the court to remand questions about his degree to the bar association's character and fitness committee, but the judges said this committee could not make that determination.

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The Board of Bar Examiners could decide that Jefferson's degree constitutes "the substantial equivalent of the legal education provided by approved law schools in Kentucky," the judges wrote. But, even if the board ruled in Jefferson's favor, he would still need to apply for − and pass − Kentucky's bar exam.

The next examination is scheduled to be held in February, according to the bar association's website.

In its conclusion, the Kentucky Supreme Court decided the office of bar admissions correctly evaluated Jefferson's application for admission and appropriately ruled that "he is ineligible for admission without examination."

Jefferson remains an active candidate

The supreme court's ruling does not disqualify Jefferson from seeking the district judge position, according to Michon Lindstrom, a spokeswoman for Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams.

Lindstrom did say Jefferson's credentials could be questioned in court prior to the election under a separate "bona fides" challenge.

The Kentucky State Board of Elections says a district judge candidate must be "licensed to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth, and a licensed attorney for at least two years."

"A judge could determine that he does not meet the minimum qualifications and he would no longer be a candidate, but his name would remain on the ballot," Lindstrom said. "But there would be signs at polling places noting he is not a candidate."

If no bona fides challenge is filed prior to the election, Jefferson could remain a candidate and win the election.

But, in that scenario, a judge could still determine he does not meet the minimum qualifications to hold the office, temporarily leaving District 51, Division 2 without a judge.

Houston Harwood can be contacted at walter.harwood@courierpress.com with story ideas and questions. Twitter: @houston_whh.