FRANKFORT, Ky., Feb. 10, 2026 – The Supreme Court of Kentucky dedicated a portrait of Justice John William Graves (ret.) today at a ceremony in Frankfort, where he received a standing ovation as he was honored for his service of more than a decade.
In a room filled with judges and other justice system professionals, former colleagues, friends and family, Justice Graves, 90, was recognized by Supreme Court justices and others who spoke about him prior to the portrait unveiling.
Justice Graves was a member of the state’s highest court from 1995-2006. He previously was a district judge and then a circuit judge for McCracken County. He also served 35 years in the active and reserve military, earning the rank of U.S. Army colonel.
“Today I’m glad to add my voice to the loud chorus raised by those many grateful citizens of our commonwealth and by its attorneys and judges in praising you for your faithful, dependable and exemplary commitment to the cause of justice and the rule of law as an independent, thoughtful and courageous trial court judge and Supreme Court justice,” said Justice Shea Nickell, who is the justice for the same Western Kentucky district that Justice Graves served.
Justice Nickell said, “I personally thank you for your many kindnesses bestowed to me over the many years, including the gift of your mentorship, which helped me become a better attorney, and the gift of your judicial example, which demonstrated to me the importance of diligence, fairness and integrity, and the gift of your friendship, which revealed to me the transformational power of kindness, encouragement and loyalty.”
Justice Nickell practiced before Justice Graves as an attorney when the justice was a McCracken judge. At the dedication, he sang the campaign jingle Justice Graves was well-known for and shared anecdotes from that time. As a judge, Justice Graves once sent a bailiff to silence a lawn mower that was disrupting court proceedings and another time held court outside because the courtroom was too full, underscoring the need for a new courthouse, Justice Nickell said.
He went on to say, “The notable success we celebrate today was founded upon your lifetime of heartfelt, diligent and humble public service.”
Upon retiring from the Supreme Court, Justice Graves joined the Court of Appeals as a special judge. It was not the natural progression to go from the highest court to the Court of Appeals, Court of Appeals Judge Sara Walter Combs said.
“But Justice Graves, when he saw that his time was running out in legal service, decided one more adventure was appropriate,” she said.
Justice Graves came to the court when it was in a period of transition with judges.
“But he came on and lent and air of stability, an equanimity and congeniality, along with the legal knowledge.” she said. “I would like to emphasize that aspect of this lovely man. It was his touch of graciousness with the human race that I think set him apart from many of his colleagues and peers and to this day will set him apart always in our memory. He has the human touch. He cares about people. He made the law serve the people, not the master, not the rod that punishes, but the tool that gives hope. That was always his approach to the law.”
Kentucky artist Fred Biggs painted Justice Graves’ portrait and unveiled it with the justice’s wife, Mary Ann, and son, Kevin.
“It is extremely hard to paint a person,” he said. “You have to get the personality, the spirit, the pizazz on a canvas, and that sometimes can be difficult. With Justice Graves, it’s obvious that he never played center for Notre Dame basketball team, but he is always a man that was looked up to. He was always a man that stood out in a crowd. He was always a man that had a unique brightness to him. I wanted to put that on canvas. I wanted this to be a canvas that when you looked across, ‘That one’s a little unique; it’s a little brighter,’ because that’s the man.”
To hear from all the speakers, watch a recording of the event on the Kentucky Court of Justice YouTube channel at kcoj.info/KCOJYouTube.
Portrait dedications normally take place at the Supreme Court’s home at the Capitol, where the portraits are hung in the corridors. With the Capitol closed for a multiyear renovation, the ceremony took place at the Administrative Office of the Courts. The justice’s portrait will hang at the Supreme Court’s temporary home at 669 Chamberlin Ave. until the move back to the Capitol.
Supreme Court of Kentucky
The Supreme Court is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. Seven justices sit on the Supreme Court and all seven justices rule on appeals that come before the court. The justices are elected from seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. A chief justice, chosen for a four-year term by fellow justices, is the administrative head of the state’s court system and responsible for its operation. The Supreme Court may order a ruling or opinion to be published, which means that the ruling becomes the case law governing all similar cases in the future in Kentucky.
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