Courtesy of Kentucky Lantern
FRANKFORT — Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goodwine—the first Black woman elected to the high court—was officially sworn into office Friday to cheering and clapping in the packed Frankfort chambers and the two overflow rooms.
Goodwine reflected on her life of overcoming obstacles when speaking Friday, and promised to carry “the importance of faith and education and perseverance” with her in the future.
“I always say I don’t give up on my dreams when life gets hard, I simply work harder to make my dreams come true,” she said. “If there is one philosophy and action I would like to be known for and for you all to recognize and live by as well, that is it. No matter what life brings your way, keep dreaming, keep working for your goals.”
Goodwine spent time in foster care as an infant and was later adopted by her foster parents, the Lantern previously reported. The Youngstown, Ohio, native and high school valedictorian gave up a college scholarship to support her adoptive father who was dying of lung cancer. About six months after her father was diagnosed, he died. After his death, his brother killed her mother.
At 24, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an incurable bowel inflammation condition that can be painful and disruptive to life. After that diagnosis, she spent two months hospitalized and had to re-learn how to eat and walk.
She began working in the courts as a legal secretary and court stenographer. She earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kentucky and in 1994 entered private practice with the firm Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs until her appointment to the district court bench in 1999. Goodwine won her circuit judge seat in 2003. She became the first Black woman to serve on the Kentucky Court of Appeals after being elected in 2018.
“I have often been called a trailblazer,” Goodwine said. “More important than achieving any individual accomplishment, I have always believed that it is each of our responsibility to live and serve in ways that make the world a better place for generations that follow us.”
Praise for Goodwine
During her investiture, Goodwine’s fellow justices praised her for her tenacious character and long career of firsts. They also applauded her for making history yet again in officially donning her Supreme Court robes and inspiring broader trust in the court
Justice Angela McCormick Bisig said race and gender aren’t usually part of the discussions justices have about cases on their docket.
But, she said, “for this court to do that very important work, it is best to have all lived experiences and points of view at the table, because we can all strive to be compassionate and understanding, but we really can’t know what it’s like to be someone else.”
Gov. Andy Beshear said Goodwine’s win is a “cause for celebration” but “it’s also a reminder of our reality, that nearly 250 years into the history of this great country, we are still recognizing firsts.”
“Because of Justice Goodwine’s tenacity, pushing through personal tragedy, struggle and, yes, discrimination that still exists in our world, we are closer to the promise of our country that every child no matter their circumstances can dream of being a Kentucky Supreme Court justice,” Beshear said. “I’d like to thank her for making us a little bit better here in the commonwealth today.”
Chief Justice Debra Lambert called Goodwine’s presence a “gift to our court” and “a reminder that the court should be principled and deliberate and deeply human.”
While judicial races are nonpartisan, both Goodwine and her opponent received partisan support. Democrat Beshear’s political committees contributed $510,000 to help Goodwine win. Her donors also included former Democratic Govs. Steve Beshear and Paul Patton, as well as some Democrats in the legislature.
Goodwine won her race for the 5th District seat in November, becoming the first woman and fifth person in history to serve at every level of the judiciary. The Kentucky Supreme Court also has a majority of women now, for the first time ever. Goodwine’s investiture was originally scheduled for January but was delayed because of weather.
During the ceremony, Fayette County District Judge Melissa Moore Murphy led the crowd in singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black National Anthem.
Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
