Photo: Supreme Court Justice Pamela R. Goodwine (right) receives the Judicial Branch’s William E. McAnulty Jr. Award from Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert during the Judicial Branch’s Black History Month Celebration today in Frankfort.
FRANKFORT, Ky., Feb. 11, 2025 – Supreme Court Justice Pamela R. Goodwine was honored as the 2025 recipient of the William E. McAnulty Jr. Award today at the state court system’s fifth annual Black History Month Celebration. Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert presented the award at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort.
Watch a recording of the event on the Kentucky Court of Justice YouTube channel at https://kcoj.info/BHM25.
“Justice Goodwine is a hard-working, thoughtful and caring member of our court community, and we are all excited to work with her on the Kentucky Supreme Court,” said Chief Justice Lambert after sharing Justice Goodwine’s accolades. “Justice Goodwine, we are so grateful for your leadership and your positive attitude, your generosity and your dedicated service to our court community. And you are most deserving of this recognition, and I am proud to present it here to you today.”
Justice Goodwine was elected to the Supreme Court in November and is the second Black person and first Black woman to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court of Kentucky. She had served six years as the Kentucky Court of Appeals judge for the 5th Appellate District and was the court’s deputy chief judge when she ran for election on the Supreme Court. She serves the 5th Supreme Court District, which is made up of the same Central Kentucky counties as her Court of Appeals District. She began her legal career in 1979 as a legal secretary and court reporter.
“I’m almost speechless,” Justice Goodwine said after accepting the award. “Thank you, chief. This is an honor. Justice McAnulty and I worked together in 1986. I was his court reporter when he was assigned to a case in Fayette County. I was honored to work with him then, and I shared my dream with him of one day serving on the Kentucky Supreme Court. This is a 45-year dream in the making, and I am honored not only to have accomplished that goal but one of many firsts. I am proud to be a trailblazer.”
In 1999, then-Gov. Paul E. Patton appointed Justice Goodwine as district judge for Fayette County, making her Fayette’s first Black woman judge. She served until being elected Fayette circuit judge in 2003. She has the distinction of being the first woman and fifth justice to serve at all four levels of the Kentucky judiciary.
Justice Goodwine earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kentucky and entered private law practice in 1994. She earned her Master of Laws degree in Judicial Studies from Duke University School of Law in May 2023.
Her honors include induction into the Carol Martin Gatton College of Business and Economics Alumni Hall of Fame in 2000, being named the Fayette County Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Lawyer in 2001 and receiving the Henry V. Pennington Trial Judge of the Year Award from the Kentucky Justice Association in 2012. She was named among The Kentucky Gazette’s 2020 “Most Notable Women in Kentucky Politics and Government.”
William E. McAnulty Jr. Award
The William E. McAnulty Jr. Award, named after the first Black justice on the Supreme Court of Kentucky, honors individuals who have made a significant impact on the Kentucky Court of Justice. Justice McAnulty served at every level of the state court system and dedicated 30 years to the bench before passing away in 2007.
The award recognizes individuals for their dedication and commitment to service through years of service, leadership, job performance or efforts toward improving racial and ethnic diversity and equity in the Judicial Branch.
Previous recipients are:
- Martha Miller, former Clark County Circuit Court Clerk (served until the end of 2024).
- Anita Lee, AOC Accounting Coordinator.
- Judge Denise G. Clayton, Chief Judge, Court of Appeals (retired 2022).
- Dominique Clark, previous Racial, Ethnic and Equity Disparities Coordinator for the AOC Department of Family & Juvenile Services.
- Rachel Bingham, Director of the AOC Office of Statewide Programs (retired 2024).
- Justice John D. Minton Jr., Chief Justice of Kentucky (retired 2022), received a special Trailblazer William E. McAnulty Jr. Award.
Keynote speech
Preceding the award presentation, Shericka Smith, a mental health coordinator for Fayette County Public Schools and mental health advocate, gave the keynote speech. She has a doctorate degree in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker. She spoke about the impact of African American men and women in the workforce, listing the many Black people who are responsible for popular inventions.
“Black history is not optional,” Smith said. “It’s so easy for us to live our everyday lives and go throughout our normal routines without realizing that some things would be virtually impossible to do without the creativity of Black inventors.”
She went on to say, “By learning and saying their names, we not only honor their legacy, but we create a more inclusive vision of what innovation can and should look like. It reminds us that brilliance knows no color.”
Smith discussed the struggles of Black people in communities and the workforce. She urged the audience to support and serve as mentors and allies for African American children, colleagues, friends and neighbors to foster a thriving society where everyone can reach their full potential.
Fayette District Judge Melissa Moore Murphy kicked off the Black history event by leading a singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is known as the Black national anthem.
About the Supreme Court of Kentucky
The Supreme Court is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. Seven justices sit on the Supreme Court and all seven justices rule on appeals that come before the court. The justices are elected from seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. A chief justice, chosen for a four-year term by fellow justices, is the administrative head of the state’s court system and is responsible for its operation. The Supreme Court may order a ruling or opinion to be published, which means that the ruling becomes the case law governing all similar cases in the future in Kentucky. In addition, the Supreme Court establishes rules of practice and procedure for all Kentucky judges and attorneys.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and 412 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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Photo: Justice Goodwine (second from right) poses with Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert (third from right) and other fellow justices at the Judicial Branch’s Black History Month event today in Frankfort. From left are Justices Shea Nickell, Angela McCormick Bisig, Robert B. Conley and (far right) Michelle M. Keller.