Daniel Venters

Justice Daniel J. Venters was appointed to the Supreme Court of Kentucky in August 2008 by Gov. Steve Beshear. He was subsequently elected to that office for the term that ends December 31, 2018, serving the 3rd Supreme Court District, which is comprised of 27 counties across Southern and South central Kentucky.

Justice Venters came to the Supreme Court with more than 24 years of judicial experience. He served as a District Court Judge for Pulaski and Rockcastle counties from 1979 to 1984, and as a Circuit Court Judge for Pulaski, Lincoln and Rockcastle counties from 1984 to 2003. In 2003, he retired from the trial court bench and returned to private law practice in his hometown of Somerset, where he practiced until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Prior to his judicial career, Justice Venters also served for four years as an assistant commonwealth's attorney. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. Justice Venters has served as a member of Kentucky Board of Bar Examiners and the Kentucky Bar Association Board of Governors, and as president of the Pulaski County Bar Association.

Justice Venters earned his juris doctorate from the University Of Kentucky College Of Law, graduating in 1975. He received his bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in 1972.

Justice Venters resides in Somerset and is married to attorney Jane Adams Venters. He has three children and two stepchildren, and the couple has eight grandchildren. Justice and Mrs. Venters are members of First Presbyterian Church of Somerset.