Kentucky Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr., a Bowling Green resident, will not seek reelection to the state Supreme Court in 2022, a decision that will bring to a close his distinguished 30-year career as a judge.

To say that Minton has served admirably is an understatement, and we know that all in Bowling Green and Warren County are proud of his contributions to our state.

Minton – who represents a district that includes Warren and 13 other counties – joined the high court in 2006 and was elected chief justice by his colleagues in 2008, a role he has maintained ever since. Prior to that, he served as Warren Circuit Court judge and on the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Minton’s role as chief justice includes setting priorities for the state’s judicial branch. He has notably advocated judicial redistricting of Kentucky’s circuit and district courts, a pursuit he plans to address again during the 2022 legislative session. And last week, Minton said he plans to go to bat for employees in the court system and request pay raises for them in the next state budget.

“I want the General Assembly to address this,” Minton said. “I want to make our pay on par with what’s paid in the executive branch or legislative branch. We have a high expectation of performance for people who work in the courts, yet the pay differential is just shocking.”

Minton said the timing of his announcement is intended to allow qualified candidates to prepare their campaigns for his seat on the Supreme Court. Already, Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Kelly Thompson of Bowling Green recently filed to run for that position.

Whoever else might choose to pursue Minton’s seat surely understands the big shoes that must be filled. Minton earned the respect of all in the state’s legal community and beyond, and we thank him for his years of service and wish him the best in the next chapter of his life.