Bowling Green attorney J. Blake Beliles is running for Warren District Court judge, mounting a campaign that will pit him against current District Judge Kim Geoghegan.

This marks the first time Beliles, who filed paperwork last month to enter the race, will be a candidate on the ballot for judge.

“Ever since pretty much when I started practicing and got to see how different judges interact with the community, this is something I thought about doing,” Beliles said of his campaign.

A Bowling Green native, Beliles graduated from Western Kentucky University and earned his law degree from the University of Louisville.

He is currently practicing at the Simpson Firm, working predominantly in criminal defense, though he has handled cases related to divorces, probate, child custody, personal injury and contract law.

Prior to joining the Simpson Firm in 2014, Beliles was an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in the 38th Judicial Circuit, assisting then-Commonwealth’s Attorney Tim Coleman in handling the caseloads in Butler and Edmonson counties.

The district court judgeship Beliles seeks is currently held by Geoghegan, and both people, along with Dwight Burton, were nominated last year by the Kentucky Judicial Nominating Commission as potential successors to former Warren District Judge Sam Potter, who retired in July.

Geoghegan was appointed later that month by Gov. Andy Beshear to complete Potter’s unexpired term, which goes through the end of this year.

Beliles said his experience working on both sides of criminal cases would help him take a balanced approach to being a judge should he be elected.

“I think the main thing that helps to keep me balanced and unbiased is I’ve seen both sides, I don’t lean more prosecutorial or defense-oriented,” Beliles said. “I want to treat everybody that comes into the courtroom with kindness and respect, and be fair and impartial to each and every person.”

Beliles said he would work to be an approachable judge and would look for ways to streamline a docket that encompasses misdemeanor and juvenile cases, traffic offenses, probate cases, violations of local ordinances and felony arraignments and preliminary hearings.

“I think one important thing about a district judge is knowing the people you have around you, taking advice from the clerks and the county attorney’s office on how to make a docket run smoothly and be as timely and efficient as I can,” Beliles said. “There are some serious charges I would have to deal with, but as far as on an everyday level, I would just try not to make it harder than it has to be for anybody.”

With the passing of the filing deadline Tuesday, local judicial elections are set.

In Warren County, the 8th District, Division 1 District Court seat is the only district court seat that will be contested, between Geoghegan and Beliles.

Sitting Warren District Court Judges Brent Potter and John Brown are unopposed for reelection in their respective divisions.

Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Kelly Thompson and Bowling Green attorney Shawn Alcott will run for the Kentucky Supreme Court seat covering the 2nd District.

Warren Circuit Judge John Grise is running unopposed for reelection to his judgeship in the 8th Judicial Circuit, Division 2, while Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron has no opposition for the Warren Circuit Court judgeship representing the 8th Judicial Circuit, Division 1, currently held by Judge Steve Wilson, who plans to retire.

In the state appeals court, where Warren County is in the 17-county 2nd District, current Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Jeff Taylor is being opposed by David Clement in District 2, Division 1, while Kelly Mark Easton is running unopposed in District 2, Division 2.