Russell County could be affected by a revision in the state’s district courts map under a plan proposed by the Kentucky Supreme Court. The proposal, released recently by the state’s highest court, calls for Russell County and Wayne County to form a new district court, which would be identical to the current circuit court makeup. Currently, Clinton County is part of the 40th district along with Russell and Wayne, but would join Cumberland and Monroe counties in a new district under the new proposed plan.
If passed by the legislature during the upcoming session, the new district court map would force District Judges Mike Lawson and Scarlett Latham, both of Albany, to be in the same district as Judge Kristy Costello of Burkesville, and could force a three person race for one district judgeship in those three counties.
The new plan, if adopted, would see a new district judge from either Wayne or Russell county as neither of those counties have a resident serving as district court judge.