Kentucky: Court of Justice - Judge Christopher Shea Nickell

Judge Christopher Shea Nickell was elected to serve on the Kentucky Court of Appeals on November 7, 2006, and represents Division 1 of the 1st Appellate District.

Prior to his election, Judge Nickell practiced law 22 years, serving as a Kentucky trial attorney, prosecutor, and public defender, and as a college instructor at Murray State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Judge Nickell is a native of McCracken County and graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School in 1977. He earned a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University in 1981, majoring in both political science and communications. At DePauw, he served as student body president and was awarded The Walker Cup, presented annually by the faculty to the graduating senior who has contributed most to the campus community. He subsequently served on DePauw’s Board of Trustees. Judge Nickell earned his juris doctor degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1984, where he served as president of the Student Bar Association.

In 1995, the Kentucky Bar Association named Judge Nickell the Outstanding Kentucky Young Lawyer.

Judge Nickell is a past council chairperson for Multiple District 43 (Lions of Kentucky) of the International Association of Lions Clubs, a past district governor for District 43K (western Kentucky), and a past president of the Paducah Lions Club. He is a recipient of the organization’s Finis Davis and Melvin Jones awards, and is a former trustee on the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation. He is an Eagle Scout and a former board member for the Shawnee Trails Boy Scout Council, and has been involved in numerous other civic organizations.

Judge Nickell is a deacon and adult Sunday school teacher at the Heartland Worship Center in Paducah, and previously served as music director at Concord United Methodist Church in Paducah.

Judge Nickell was married to the late Lana Jean “Jeanne” (King) Nickell, a school teacher, administrator and counselor, who died in 2001. He is the son of Carl Duane “Red” Nickell and Anna June (Starrett) Nickell, who are retired educators.