Governor Andy Beshear chose Pikeville attorney Billy Johnson to step in as a special justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court. It is the kind of recognition that does not come along often, and it says a great deal about the trust Billy has earned over his career.
The appointment came after Deputy Chief Justice Robert B. Conley of the 7th Supreme Court District had to step aside from a case due to a conflict with the defendant. When a justice has a connection to one of the parties involved, they are not allowed to participate. Someone else has to fill that seat.
Special appointments are uncommon. They arise only under narrow circumstances, and the governor’s choice reflects a high degree of trust in the selected attorney’s ability, reputation, and legal judgment.
For Billy Johnson, the selection recognizes a career spent fighting for injured individuals and families across Eastern Kentucky from his office in Pikeville.
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What Is a Kentucky Supreme Court Special Justice?
A special justice is an attorney the governor asks to temporarily serve on the Kentucky Supreme Court when one of the seven justices cannot take part in a case.
The Kentucky Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It has the final say on legal disputes that work their way up through the lower courts. Section 110 of the Kentucky Constitution gives the governor the power to bring in a replacement when a justice has to bow out.
A justice may need to step aside because of a personal or business relationship, illness, or another disqualifying circumstance that could potentially affect their judgment. The goal is to keep the process fair for everyone.
The governor picks the replacement from attorneys who are members in good standing with the Kentucky Bar Association. That means attorneys with clean records, strong reputations, and the kind of experience it takes to sit on the state’s highest bench.
Once appointed, the special justice has the same authority as any other member of the court for that case. They review the legal filings, listen to the attorneys argue their positions in open court, and have an equal vote in the final decision.
Why Did the Governor Choose Billy Johnson?
Billy Johnson has been practicing law in Kentucky since 1998. He earned his law degree from the University of Louisville’s Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, and from the start, he committed himself to one thing: representing people who have been harmed because of someone else’s negligence or carelessness.
That focus has produced results for families in Pikeville and throughout Kentucky. He has won multimillion-dollar recoveries in wrongful death cases, product liability claims, and serious injury matters all across the Commonwealth.
His peers have taken notice. Billy is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, has been recognized as a Super Lawyer, and has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
But credentials on paper only tell part of the story. People in Pike County know Billy as someone who answers his own phone, meets with clients in person, and refuses to hand cases off to anyone else.
That hands-on, leave-no-stone-unturned approach is the kind of quality a governor looks for in an attorney when filling a seat on the Supreme Court.
What Case Did Billy Johnson Hear?
The case is called Daniel J. Carey, II, D.C., et al. v. Craig Heligman, M.D. It involves two chiropractors and a major railroad company, CSX Transportation.
The chiropractors claim that CSX and its chief medical officer harmed their reputations by accusing them of fraud without proper evidence. They also say CSX interfered with their ability to treat patients by refusing to accept their medical paperwork. In legal terms, those claims are called defamation and tortious interference.
The dispute began when CSX’s medical director noticed a spike in employee medical leave forms coming from the two chiropractors. He flagged the pattern as suspicious and sent letters to a federal agency, three insurance companies, and state licensing boards.
The chiropractors say those accusations were false and damaged their practices. The case worked its way through the lower courts in Greenup County before reaching the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Deputy Chief Justice Conley stepped aside because of a conflict with the defendant. Governor Beshear then appointed Billy Johnson as a special justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court to hear the case in his place.
Oral arguments took place on April 14, 2026. KET recorded the proceedings, and the broadcast is available to watch online.
What Does This Appointment Say About Billy Johnson?
Serving as a special justice means stepping onto the bench of the most important court in Kentucky and doing the work.
The 7th Supreme Court District covers 32 counties across Eastern Kentucky. Plenty of accomplished attorneys practice in that region. That Governor Beshear chose a personal injury lawyer from Pikeville says a lot about the trust he has in Billy and his ability to settle disputes fairly.
That kind of trust is earned. It comes from decades of showing up for clients, preparing cases thoroughly, and building a reputation that holds up at every level of the legal system.
Billy Johnson Is Still Right Here in Pikeville
This appointment did not change a thing about the Johnson Law Firm. Billy is still here, still taking calls, and still personally handling cases for people who have been injured by someone else’s carelessness.
If anything, it confirms what his clients and neighbors already knew. Billy brings the same level of dedication to a family’s car wreck case in Pike County that he brought to the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Need Help With Your Pikeville Personal Injury Case? Call Billy Johnson for a Free Consultation.
Serving as a special justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court means being trusted to weigh complex disputes, apply the law carefully, and reach decisions that carry real consequences for individuals and their families. That kind of responsibility is not handed out lightly.
Billy Johnson brings that same level of focus back to the cases he handles every day in Eastern Kentucky. Whether the issue involves a serious car wreck, a truck accident case, or the devastating loss of a family member, Billy leads clients through the legal process with compassionate advocacy and aggressive, effective representation.
If you or someone you care about has been injured, call Johnson Law Firm at 606-437-4488 or contact us online for a free consultation. Billy and his team are right here in Pikeville, and they are ready to make your fight their own.
GET HELP NOW 606-437-4488
Attorney Billy Johnson
William “Billy” Johnson grew up in the Dorton area of Pike County, Kentucky, and early on decided to stay in the beautiful Appalachian mountains. Like many others in Eastern Kentucky, Billy’s dad worked as a coal miner, a hard job but one that taught his son how to meet challenges head on and persevere. Attorney Billy Johnson has years of experience helping injured clients with claims such as car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, wrongful deaths, work injuries, and more. [ Attorney Bio ]
