Jefferson Circuit Court

Hon. Darryl S. Lavery
Division 2

Darryl Lavery is the presiding Circuit Judge in Division Two of the Jefferson Circuit Court.  Judge Lavery assumed the bench following the retirement of Judge Jim Shake.  Since taking the bench last summer, Judge Lavery has presided over hundreds of cases, including numerous criminal and civil jury trials.

Judge Lavery is an experienced civil litigator, coming to the bench after a successful career in private practice, where he worked tirelessly as a zealous advocate on behalf of his clients. Lavery has tried numerous cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Kentucky.  He has also argued cases before the Kentucky Court of Appeals and the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Prior to taking the bench, Judge Lavery spent 16 years in private practice at the 50+ attorney law firm of Boehl Stopher & Graves, LLP in Louisville, KY, serving as an equity partner since 2008.  Lavery represented both plaintiffs and defendants, from small and family-owned businesses to large corporations (including CSX Transportation, Inc. and Bayer Corporation), and numerous individuals and non-profit organizations (including the YMCA of Greater Louisville, Inc. and the Archdiocese of Louisville). His practice focused primarily in the area of personal injury defense in a wide variety of complex cases.  Lavery also litigated insurance coverage disputes, property damage claims and business disputes.  Judge Lavery’s diverse background and experience serve him well as he manages the Court’s large, complex and diverse caseload, over 75% of which is comprised of civil cases.

Judge Lavery has been active in his community for many years.  His community service included serving as a high school classroom volunteer and member of the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana, Inc., serving as pro bono counsel for the Legal Aid Society’s Domestic Violence Advocacy Program, which provides legal services to victims of domestic violence seeking Domestic Violence Orders, and serving as a Member and Vice Chair of the Kentucky Citizen’s Foster Care Review Board, which works to ensure that children are appropriately cared for while in the custody of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Judge Lavery is proud to have the endorsement of Citizens for Better Judges, which selected his as the “Most Qualified Candidate to Serve.”  Judge Lavery was also rated “Highly Qualified/Qualified” by over 90% of local lawyers in the Louisville Bar Association’s Judicial Candidate poll.  Judge Lavery has also received numerous endorsements, from his immediate predecessor who served 24 years in Division Two—Judge Jim Shake—to several labor unions to numerous Fraternal Orders of Police representing Louisville’s finest law enforcement professionals.

Judge Lavery received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and American history from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., graduating Magna Cum Laude, and received his Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis, IN.

To learn more about Judge Lavery, please visit his website:  www.laveryforjudge.com and his Facebook Page:  www.Facebook.com/JudgeDarrylLavery