The Judicial Nominating Commission, led by Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert, today announced nominees to fill the Circuit Court judicial vacancy in Boyle and Mercer counties. The counties make up the 50th Judicial Circuit and the vacancy is in the circuit’s Division 1.

 The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Christopher Kala Herron of Danville, Whitney Zimmerman Johns of Harrodsburg and Christopher Joel Reed of Danville.

 Herron is in private law practice and is the Boyle County attorney. He received his juris doctor from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.

 Johns is in private law practice and is an assistant county attorney for Mercer County. She received her juris doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law (now the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law).

 Reed is in private law practice and serves as a special attorney for the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy. He received his juris doctor from the Florida Coastal School of Law.

 The judicial seat became vacant when Judge Jeffrey L. Dotson passed away in September 2024. 
Circuit Court is the court of general jurisdiction that hears civil matters involving more than $5,000, capital offenses and felonies, divorces, adoptions, termination of parental rights, land dispute title cases and contested probate cases. In counties with a Family Court division of Circuit Court, Family Court judges have primary jurisdiction in cases involving family issues, including divorces, adoption, child support, domestic violence and juvenile status offenses.

The Judicial Nominating Commission helps fill judicial vacancies by appointment when a vacancy occurs outside of the election cycle. The Kentucky Constitution established the JNC. Ky. Const. § 118; SCR 6.000, et seq.
When a judicial vacancy occurs, the executive secretary of the JNC publishes a notice of vacancy in the judicial circuit or the judicial district affected. Attorneys may recommend someone or nominate themselves. The names of the applicants are not released. Once nominations occur, the individuals interested in the position return a questionnaire to the Office of the Chief Justice. The chief justice then meets with the Judicial Nominating Commission to choose three nominees. Because the Kentucky Constitution requires that three names be submitted to the governor, in some cases the commission submits an attorney’s name even though the attorney did not apply. A letter naming the three nominees is sent to the governor for review. The governor has 60 days to appoint a replacement and his office makes the announcement.