Judge Jennifer Kinsley was elected by her colleagues to continue to serve as the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the First District Court of Appeals for 2026. In this role, Judge Kinsley is responsible for the Court’s administration, docket, and this year’s court calendar.
Judge Kinsley was elected to the First District Court of Appeals in November 2022 and took the bench in February 2023. After receiving her degrees from the University of Florida and the Duke University School of Law, Judge Kinsley began her career as a juvenile public defender at the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office. Judge Kinsley then entered private practice where she developed a national reputation as a First Amendment and civil rights attorney. She later became a full-time law professor at NKU Chase College of Law.
Judge Kinsley was previously elected as the Court’s Administrative and Presiding Judge in 2025. During her first year in the role, Judge Kinsley directed several impactful projects that enhanced efficiency, community connection, and access to justice. These projects included improving building security, updating the local rules, developing an oral argument pilot project for incarcerated people, and expanding the Court’s use of technology.
“I am both honored and excited to be serving as the Court’s Administrative and Presiding Judge again this year,” Judge Kinsley said. “I operate from the belief that the Court belongs to the people we serve. My goals for this year include making the Court more accessible and available to community as a whole.”
Judge Kinsley continues to serve as a member of the NKU Chase College of Law faculty and to teach law school courses there. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Association Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky John W. Peck Chapter and the Advisory Board of the Hamilton County Help Center.