State of Justice: March 2026 Ethics Update

Kentucky

House won’t act on impeachment petitions against Supreme Court justice, school official 

Kentucky House lawmakers are ending impeachment proceedings against state supreme court Justice Pamela Goodwine. After Justice Goodwine was elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court in 2024, she supplied the fourth vote needed for the court to reverse a previous decision by the court. That 4-3 ruling struck down a 2022 law aimed at shifting power from the elected school board to the appointed superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools, the state’s largest district. Republican lawmakers and Attorney General Russell Coleman criticized the court’s ruling. Lawmakers began reviewing the impeachment petition against Justice Goodwine in January. At the time, Justice Goodwine, through her attorney, stated that “the petition has no merit and should be dismissed.” 

Maine

Judicial panel dismisses disciplinary complaint against Maine Supreme Court justice 

In the conclusion of Maine Supreme Court Justice Catherine Connors’ disciplinary case, a five-member panel of judges dismissed the disciplinary case against Connors. The panel made this decision despite the Maine Committee on Judicial Conduct finding Connors guilty of violating the state’s judicial conduct code and recommending official disciplinary action against the justice. Prior to joining the bench, Connors, in private practice, wrote briefs in favor of banks in two foreclosure cases that ended up before the supreme court. However, when the cases were before the court, Connors did not recuse herself, despite having previously represented one of the parties’ interests. Then, in two 4-3 decisions, the court sided with the banks, weakening protections for homeowners facing foreclosure. Following the two decisions, an official complaint was filed against Connors, which prompted the investigation.