As AOC director since 2009, Laurie K. Givens oversees the administrative arm of Kentucky’s unified court system and supports 406 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks.
During her tenure, she has maintained a balanced Judicial Branch budget in spite of recurring state budget cuts, revised the AOC’s organizational structure to meet the changing needs of the court, and improved the personnel policies and salary structure.
She has also led KYeCourts, a sweeping initiative to update Kentucky’s court technology through statewide eFiling, an online case search program, and new trial and appellate court case management systems.
She has worked closely with the legislature on policy initiatives, including felony expungement and penal code and juvenile justice reform.
Laurie serves as immediate past president of COSCA and is a member of COSCA’s Court Statistics, Criminal Justice, Governmental Affairs and Nominating committees. She is also on the board of the National Center for State Courts and is co-chair of the National Task Force on Fines, Fees and Bail Practices. She serves on the board of The Council of State Governments’ Justice Center.
She previously practiced law and was executive director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy and a staff attorney in the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet.
She received the 2018 Mary C. McQueen Award for Excellence and Leadership in Justice System Improvement and is an alumna of the Toll Fellowship Program.
She has a bachelor’s degree and juris doctor from the University of Kentucky.