Winner of last November’s special general election for Division II judge of Kentucky’s 1st Appellate District Court of Appeals, Owensboro’s Lisa Payne Jones has plenty on her slate.
Responsible for 23 counties in west Kentucky, Jones said the recent realignment of districts only improved through-lines between communities, and removed any chance at gerrymandering.
Prior to that election, Payne Jones was appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to assume the same role last April, and in place of the retiring Donna Dixon.
Among her main roles, of course, is the hearing of appeals — something she said every Kentuckians has a right to at least once, before defendants have to seek discretionary appeals from their local judges.
She understands what it means to be a trial court judge, and how easy it is to make mistakes when rendering justice and appropriate verdicts.
She didn’t cite a specific case, but noted the cases with the most public and media attention often require the most judicial throughput and scrutiny — if only to be further transparent and fair to the process.
One of the biggest benefits of her role, she said, is “the time” to thoroughly search out and vet case law that’s referenced in arguments and rebuttal. Where lower courts might hear 30-to-60 different cases a day, and on a great many subjects, she might only hear six different appeals per month.
Judges, she added, don’t have the platform of opinion. Whether viewed as liberal or conservative, strict to the word or under creative interpretation, Jones said she’s “bound by the law” — not by politics, religion, personal points of view or friendships.
Jones was in Cadiz Wednesday for Mary Grinter White’s portrait reveal in Trigg County Circuit Court, and over the last few months, she spent considerable time all around the area campaigning for her position.
A native of Owensboro and graduate of Owensboro Catholic High School, Brescia University and the University of Kentucky College of Law, her term ends January 6, 2031.
