Panel announces nominees for appeals court seat

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Two attorneys and a judge have been nominated to fill a judicial vacancy on the Kentucky Court of Appeals. The Judicial Nominating Commission announced on Thursday that the nominees are James Richard “Jason” Coltharp Jr. of Paducah, Joe Christopher “Chris” McNeill of Paducah and C. Rene Williams of Dixon. The person chosen will serve on the 1st Appellate District, Division 1, which is composed of 24 counties in western Kentucky. The governor has 60 days to appoint one of the nominees to succeed Christopher Shea Nickell, who was elected in November to the Supreme Court.