District Court docket Decide Jeffrey Scott Lawless, who serves Pulaski and Rockcastle counties, joined colleagues from throughout the commonwealth at their annual faculty June 6-9 in Lexington.
It was the primary time the district judges gathered in individual since 2019 as the school for 2020 was canceled resulting from COVID-19.
“It was refreshing to have the ability to meet in individual as soon as once more,” mentioned Christian County District Court docket Decide J. Foster Cotthoff, who’s president of the Kentucky District Judges Affiliation. “Our schools not solely present useful academic packages, however additionally they give us the chance to spend time with individuals who share the challenges and rewards of serving as a choose. All of us loved this renewed camaraderie.”
The 2021 faculty centered on giving district judges better perception on methods to deal with drunk and drugged driving circumstances.
“As a result of district judges see a number of DUI circumstances, it was useful for us to look intently at points surrounding these circumstances, together with the talents that legislation enforcement officers use to detect drivers who’re below the affect,” Decide Cotthoff mentioned. “This was a terrific refresher course for skilled judges and an essential introduction for newer judges.”
DUI classes on the faculty have been on testimony from professional witnesses in impaired driving circumstances and the way the results of medication and alcohol impair an individual’s means to drive.
One other session lined Kentucky Senate Invoice 85, laws signed into legislation in 2020 that requires first-time DUI offenders to make use of an ignition interlock machine or face an extended license suspension. The legislation is meant to forestall offenders from ignoring their license suspension by driving anyway. Beforehand, the machine was obligatory for repeat DUI offenders and people with a blood alcohol content material of .15 or extra.
Judges additionally attended a session about utilizing the ALIVE at 25 defensive driving course as a court-ordered diversion program for drivers 16-24 years previous who’ve been charged with a visitors offense.
Judges had the chance to earn persevering with judicial schooling credit by attending the school.
