Kentucky High Court Tosses Challenge to State Lawyers Unionizing

The Kentucky Supreme Court refused to decide whether it’s ethical for state lawyers to unionize.

When attorneys in the Louisville and Jefferson County Public Defender Corp. voted to unionize, a staff lawyer filed a petition with the supreme court that raised ethical concerns regarding the effects of the vote and seeking a supervisory writ. The public defender’s office intervened.

A supervisory writ is an extraordinary remedy that should only be addressed in well defined and compelling circumstances that aren’t present here, the opinion and order signed by Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. said Thursday.

• The petition raises only speculative ...