News & Firm Accomplishments

  • Wicker / Brammell’s Bill Brammell has recently co-authored an article with Gillian Urbaniak, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 30th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky detailing the new justice landscape in Kentucky, and what it means for its citizens as legislative reforms and policy updates are made. 
    The main topic of this article is the “Safer Kentucky Act” which seems to be a polarizing issue in the Kentucky legal community. On one hand, it advocates for public safety and reform while on the other, it criminalizes poverty and homelessness. In a nation with both of these things on the rise, what can this mean for the citizens of Kentucky? 
    The Act’s main takeaways are as follows: reduce homelessness by criminalizing “unlawful camping”, curb drug trafficking by imposing more stringent penalties on offenders of criminal acts, the implementation of the “Three Strikes Rule”, and more. 
    To read more about both William and Gillian’s takeaways on Kentucky’s newest reforms, you can read the full article     here.

  • Wicker / Brammell attorneys Bill Brammell and Kayla Campbell scored a big win this month in the Kentucky Supreme Court. In a significant, published decision the Supreme Court reaffirmed Kentucky’s longstanding principle that citizens of the Commonwealth have a vested right in the running of a statute of limitations. The case, titled *Samantha Killary v. Sean Jackman*, et. al., arose out of sexual assault claims brought by Killary against her stepfather Sean Jackman. Ancillary to those claims, Killary also sued her stepfather’s ex-girlfriend (Linda Thompson), and her stepfather’s dad (Rick Jackman), alleging that both were aware of the abuse but failed to report it. At the time she sued in 2018 (nine years after the last alleged abuse), Kentucky’s statute of limitations to file sexual abuse claims was only five years. Unfortunately for Killary, who waited nearly a decade after the abuse ceased to file suit, her claims against the “Non-Perpetrator Third Parties” had already expired so the case was dismissed. Adding a twist, however, the Kentucky General Assembly extended the statute of limitations for such claims while Killary’s case was on appeal. In addition to giving more time to sue, the legislature also tried to make the statute retroactive.

    At issue before the Supreme Court was whether the General Assembly could lawfully revive Killary’s already expired claims against the Non-Perpetrators Linda Thompson and Rick Jackman (the ones that she alleged were aware of the abuse but failed to report it). In a resounding win, the Supreme Court held that citizens of the Commonwealth have a vested right in the running of a statute of limitations and cannot be divested of that right.

    Watch the oral argument here and read the Supreme Court's Opinion here.

  • Attorney Kent Wicker argues on behalf of Client Ben Dusing to the Kentucky Bar Association’s Board of Governors.

  • Attorney Kent Wicker provides interview: DOJ Report | What is a consent decree? (WHAS-11 Louisville, March 8, 2023)

  • Attorney Bill Brammell convinces United States Attorney’s Office to dismiss all charges against client charged with Armed Robbery, resulting in his immediate release from custody (U.S. v. Shemari Robertson, 3:22-cr-00051 (May 1, 2023))

  • Wicker / Brammell secures Summary Judgment in favor of ResCare, Inc. in multi-million dollar real estate dispute (CRE Linn Station v. ResCare, 19-CI-000856 (April 26, 2023))

  • Attorneys Bill Brammell & Kayla Campbell secure grant of discretionary review from the Kentucky Supreme Court on the important question of whether a defendant with a vested right in the running of a statute of limitations can be divested of that right (Samantha Killary v. Rick Jackman, 2022-SC-0308-D).

  • Attorneys Kent Wicker and Bill Brammell convince United States Attorney’s Office to dismiss all charges against client charged with multiple counts of Wire Fraud and Money Laundering (U.S. v. John Nordstrom, 3:21-cr-00094 (WDKY) (June 6, 2022))

  • Attorneys Kent Wicker and Kayla Campbell secure acquittal and dismissal of all charges in Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Prosecution against Client “Buddy” Hardison, Armstrong Coal’s highest ranking company official overseeing its Western Kentucky coal mines (U.S. v. “Buddy” Hardison, 4:18-cr-00015 (WDKY) (November 17, 2021))

  • Attorneys Bill Brammell and Kent Wicker secure multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of family whose son, a 10-year old cancer survivor, was killed by school bus driver in Southeast Kentucky.

  • Attorney Kent Wicker secures $573 Million Dollar Verdict in Breach of Fiduciary Duty case — the largest verdict of its kind in Kentucky history