(LEX 18) — A Kentucky district court judge has received a public reprimand after a state commission found he repeatedly abused his contempt power, yelled at defendants, and failed to follow the law.
Judge Bolton Bevins of Kentucky's 14th Judicial District waived formal proceedings and agreed to the reprimand issued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission.
The commission reviewed video records of numerous hearings between June 2024 and April 2025. The review found Bevins engaged in hostile, impatient, and discourteous conduct that demonstrated bias and a lack of judicial decorum.
According to the reprimand, Bevins frequently held juvenile and adult defendants in contempt of court and ordered them to jail without giving them or their attorneys prior notice or an opportunity to speak.
In one instance on June 17, 2024, Bevins reportedly sentenced a juvenile to two weeks in jail for failing a grade in school. When the juvenile muttered an obscenity while being led out of the courtroom, Bevins extended the detention to a month, the reprimand detailed.
On Jan. 10, 2025, Bevins held another juvenile in contempt based on a report the defense had not seen. When the juvenile's attorney requested a written motion and a hearing, Bevins prompted the county attorney to make a verbal motion, laughed at the defense counsel, threw his pen down, and detained the juvenile for six days, according to the reprimand report.
The commission also cited an incident on March 6, 2025, where Bevins ordered a woman to serve two weeks in detention for failing to report to a probation supervision company, despite there being no probation order in her file.
Other documented incidents included Bevins banging on his desk, slamming his case book, yelling at a defendant's mother to get out of the courtroom, and asking what kind of mental defect caused a defendant to act a certain way.
The commission concluded Bevins' actions undermined public confidence in the integrity, impartiality, and independence of the judiciary, violating multiple rules of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
Bevins in a statement said the reprimand involved juvenile cases and preliminary hearings where he failed to exercise patience, decorum, and adherence to proper procedure. He also admitted to not providing parties a full opportunity to be heard and failing to follow proper procedures governing the use of contempt.
"For that, I take responsibility," Bevins said.
The judge said he has cooperated fully with the commission, implemented corrective measures, and committed to steps ensuring his conduct meets the high standards expected of the judiciary.
"My role as a Judge is not only to reach decisions, but to ensure that every person who enters the courtroom is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect, and that the law is followed carefully and consistently," Bevins said.
Bevins noted that even when he believes a witness is not being truthful or a person is not complying with court directives, it remains his obligation to respond with impartiality and proper judicial temperament.
He highlighted his priorities as a judge, which include encouraging young people to stay in school and avoid further involvement with the justice system, as well as helping defendants struggling with drug and alcohol abuse find long-term inpatient treatment.
"It is an honor to serve this community as District Court Judge, and I will continue working every day to uphold the integrity of the judicial system," Bevins said.
