FRANKFORT, Ky., Sept. 11, 2025 – The Kentucky Court of Appeals will convene Friday in London to hear oral arguments in cases on appeal from state circuit courts. Proceedings are open to the public and will take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. EDT in Courtroom 401 on the fourth floor of the Laurel County Judicial Center, 305 S. Main St.
Court of Appeals Judges Kelly Mark Easton, Allison E. Jones and James H. Lambert will hear arguments, with Judge Easton presiding.
Nearly all cases heard by the Kentucky Court of Appeals come to it on appeal from a lower court. If a case is tried in Circuit Court or District Court and the losing parties involved are not satisfied with the outcome, they may ask for a higher court to review the correctness of the trial court’s decision. Some cases, such as criminal case acquittals and divorces, may not be appealed. In a divorce case, however, child custody and property rights decisions may be appealed. Cases are not retried in the Court of Appeals. Only the record of the original court trial is reviewed, with attorneys presenting the legal issues to the court for a decision.
Fourteen judges, two elected from seven appellate court districts, serve on the Court of Appeals. The judges are divided into panels of three to review and decide cases, with the majority determining the decision. The panels do not sit permanently in one location but travel throughout the state to hear cases.
Oral arguments
Learn more about the cases at https://kcoj.info/COASept2025.
Friday, Sept. 12, 2025
11 a.m. EDT
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, EX REL. ATTORNEY GENERAL RUSSELL COLEMAN v. PERRY COUNTY FISCAL COURT, AS A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION AND ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF PERRY COUNTY, KENTUCKY, ET AL.
2024-CA-0629
Presiding Judge: HON. KELLY MARK EASTON
Associate Judge: HON. ALLISON E. JONES and HON. JAMES H. LAMBERT
Civil: The City of Hazard challenged the constitutionality of KRS 91A.400 as applied. The circuit court determined the statute was unconstitutionally arbitrary under Section 2 of the KY Const. without addressing other constitutional claims. The circuit court granted declaratory and injunctive relief allowing Hazard to enact a restaurant tax ordinance. The Commonwealth appeals arguing: (1) Hazard lacks standing, (2) the statute meets the rational basis test against arbitrariness, and (3) Hazard's other constitutional claims lack merit, including a laches bar to the manner in which a prior constitutional amendment was presented to the voters.
FRANKLIN County, HON. PHILLIP J. SHEPHERD
Attorneys for Appellant: Jacob Michael Abrahamson, Matthew Franklin Kuhn, Aaron John Silletto, and Zachary Martin Zimmerer
Attorneys for Appellees: Laura Crittenden Tipton, Steven Travis Mayo, Taylor Allen Payne, Jeffrey Charles Mando, Jennifer Haddad Langen, Edwin Allen Jones, Jared Kendall Holt, David Brandon Gibson, and Matthew Darren Stephens
Attorneys for Amicus: Helen Vawter Cooper, Mark Allen Loyd, Jr., and Stephanie Marie Bruns
1 p.m. EDT
MIRANDA STOVALL, ET AL. v. KY 120 UNITED AFT, ET AL.
2024-CA-0627
KY 120 UNITED-AFT, ET AL. v. MIRANDA STOVALL, ET AL.
2024-CA-0648, 2024-CA-0627, 2024-CA-0648
Presiding Judge: HON. KELLY MARK EASTON
Associate Judges: HON. ALLISON E. JONES and HON. JAMES H. LAMBERT
Civil: Plaintiff parents filed suit against a school employee and an association she founded because of an organized "sickout", which shut down schools in Jefferson and other counties in 2019. Using KRS 446.070, Plaintiffs alleged a violation of KRS 336.130's prohibition of work stoppage by public employees and claimed damages. The circuit court dismissed the Complaint, concluding that a one-year statute of limitations applied to the claim and also that the claims were barred by UPEPA's First Amendment protection. Plaintiff parents appeal arguing a five-year statute of limitations applies and that UPEPA does not apply. The cross-appeal questions the circuit court's decision not to award attorney's fees under UPEPA for defending against a meritless claim.
FAYETTE County, HON. KIMBERLY N. BUNNELL
Attorneys for Appellants: Daniel R. Suhr and Peter Leo Ecabert
Attorneys for Appellees: Amy Denise Cubbage and Marc Griffin Farris
###