A circuit judge from Somerset wants to join Kentucky's highest court. Judge David Tapp announced Thursday that he will campaign for the state Supreme Court in 2018.
Judge Tapp has been a circuit court judge for the past 14 years, presiding over cases in Pulaski, Rockcastle, and Lincoln counties.
He served as a law enforcement officer, private attorney, and prosecutor before joining the bench.
"I've focused on quite a few years on some of the issues facing my immediate community, but frankly those challenges exist throughout Kentucky," Tapp told WKU Public Radio. "We have tremendous challenges involving substance abuse, under-employment, and a number of other issues which play out in the courts."
Tapped has received national attention for his drug court program, which relies on medically assisted treatment for some addicts. In May, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky appointed Tapp to a national juvenile justice advisory board.
If elected, Tapp would replace Justice Daniel Venters who decided not to seek re-election after more than three decades on the high court.
Judge Tapp would serve the third Supreme Court District that’s made up of 27 counties throughout south central Kentucky. The state’s high court’s seven justices serve an eight-year staggered term.
