AN ACT relating to designation of special judges and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 26A.020 to establish that any person may submit an affidavit to the Attorney General asserting that an assigned judge cannot impartially preside in a pending action; authorize the Attorney General to determine if the impartiality of the judge may reasonably be questioned; authorize the Attorney General to submit the affidavit to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who shall determine whether to appoint a special judge.

Introduced: February 5, 2026

Last action: March 18, 2026

To Committee On Committees (S)

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This bill would change the process for requesting a replacement judge in a court case. Under the proposed rules, anyone involved in a legal proceeding could file a sworn statement with the Attorney General claiming their assigned judge cannot be impartial. The Attorney General could then review the claim and forward it to the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, who would decide whether to appoint a different judge. Who it may affect: anyone involved in a civil or criminal court case in Kentucky.

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