Office of General Counsel

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) consists of the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, five deputy legal counsel, one administrative assistant, and one legal assistant. The OGC provides a full array of legal services to judges, circuit clerks and AOC Central Staff. The legal staff advises judges, circuit clerks, the Chief Justice, the Director of the AOC, and AOC Central Staff on a wide variety of issues including personnel law, contracts, changes in legislation, etc. By statute, OGC attorneys are prohibited from providing legal advice to the general public and from practicing law in state courts. KRS 27A.050.

Contact Office of General Counsel

• Arranging legal representation for judges and circuit clerks;
• Drafting and reviewing personal service contracts, MOAs, MOUs and RFPs;
• Providing legal counsel for the Department for Court Facilities, including the review of all Memoranda of Understanding, leases, subleases and related documents for court space, and analysis of courthouse facilities construction legal issues utilizing the Rules of Administrative Procedure Part X, Real Property Management Guide;
• Writing and revising the Circuit Court Clerk’s Manual, a rule of the Kentucky Supreme Court pursuant to CR 1(2), RCr 1.02(2) and SCR 1.050(1);
• Revising Court of Justice Personnel Policies in conjunction with the Personnel Manager;
• Summarizing and tracking all legislation while the General Assembly is in session;
• Processing jury list requests;
• Designing and revising AOC Forms and Smart Forms;
• Reviewing felony and misdemeanant diversion protocols;
• Reviewing domestic violence protocols;
• Overseeing the Kentucky Circuit Court Clerk Examination;
• Participating in the training of judges, circuit clerks and central staff;
• Drafting revisions to court rules and administrative procedures;
• Representing Court of Justice interests on various boards, work groups, task forces and commissions;
• Serving as staff for various court initiatives such as the Guardian ad litem Commission;
• Revising judicial bench books.