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Laurance B. VanMeter

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Laurance VanMeter
Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court
Assumed office
January 2, 2023
Preceded byJohn D. Minton Jr.
Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court
Assumed office
January 2, 2017
Preceded byMary C. Noble
Personal details
Born
Laurance Browning VanMeter

(1958-08-28) August 28, 1958 (age 66)
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationVanderbilt University (BA)
University of Kentucky (JD)

Laurance Browning VanMeter (born August 28, 1958) is an American lawyer who has served as the chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court since 2023. He was elected to the court in 2016.

Early life and education

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VanMeter was born in 1958 in Lexington, Kentucky and was raised in Winchester. He earned his undergraduate degree in history from Vanderbilt University in 1980 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1983.[1]

Career

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VanMeter practiced law with the firm of Stoll, Keenon & Park from 1983 to 1994. From 1994 to 1999, he was district court judge for Division 1 of the 22nd Judicial District, serving Fayette County. In 1999, he was appointed to the Fayette County Circuit Court bench, where he served until his election to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.[1]

He was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals in November 2003 and served there until his elevation to the Supreme Court.[2] He was named as acting Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals in 2010.[2]

Kentucky Supreme Court service

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In 2015 VanMeter announced his candidacy for a spot on the Supreme Court due to the retirement of Mary C. Noble.[3] He faced off against fellow Appeals Court Judge Glenn Acree on November 8, 2016, and won 74% of the vote.[4] He began his term as a justice of the Supreme Court on January, 2017.[5]

In November 2022, he was elected to serve as chief justice following the retirement of John D. Minton Jr.[6] His term as chief justice began on January 2, 2023.[6] He was sworn into office on January 9, 2023, by Minton.[7]

Personal life

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VanMeter and his late wife, Lucy, are the parents of four children.[1] He is a member of the Federalist Society.[8] He is a registered Republican.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Justice Laurance B. VanMeter". courts.ky.gov. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Judge Laurance B. VanMeter serving as acting chief judge of Kentucky Court of Appeals" (Press release). kentucky.gov. May 13, 2010. Archived from the original on May 20, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  3. ^ "VanMeter vying for high court judge". November 9, 2015: The State Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^ a b Musgrave, Beth (November 8, 2016). "Larry VanMeter beats Glenn Acree in Kentucky Supreme Court race". Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  5. ^ Desrochers, Daniel (February 7, 2017). "VanMeter sworn in as Kentucky Supreme Court justice". Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Kentucky Supreme Court elects new chief justice". www.wymt.com. November 15, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Chief Justice VanMeter, new justices Bisig and Thompson to be sworn in Jan. 9-11 at Capitol" (Press release). kentucky.gov. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "Hon. Laurance VanMeter". fedsoc.org. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court
2017–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court
2023–present