2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Gary D. Payne Class of 1979

Judge Gary Payne was born in 1948 in Paducah, KY and spent his childhood there, attending St. Mary for high school. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1970 and graduated from Pepperdine University in 1976 while completing his service as a marine. Judge Payne then earned his Juris Doctorate from the UK College of Law in 1979. After practicing law in various capacities throughout Lexington, Payne became the first Black judge in Fayette County after his appointment to the Fayette District Court bench in 1988. He then served as a Fayette Circuit Court Judge from 1994 to 2006, including holding the role of Chief Judge from 2002-2003.

Judge Payne continued to use his legal degree as he furthered his military service. In 1981, he entered the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps in the KY Army National Guard as a First Lieutenant. He was the first Black JAG in the state of Kentucky and further broke barriers in 2002 as Judge Payne earned the rank of Colonel, and remains the first and only Black person to earn that rank in the KY Army National Guard.  Also in 2002, he received the Meritorious Service Medal for his exceptional service as a JAG.

For about a year between 2003 and 2004, he served overseas in Bosnia-Herzegovina as an Assistant Legal Advisor. During his service overseas he was recognized by NATO and received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his critical role in handling sensitive legal issues for Operation Joint Forge.  He retired from the National Guard in 2008, with the ranks of Senior Staff JAG Officer and Colonel.

Judge Payne fully retired from the bench at the end of 2011 after serving as a Senior Status judge in the state of Kentucky. Even in retirement, he remains a member of the Character and Fitness committee for the KY Office of Bar Admissions. He continues to serve as adjunct instructor of Business Law in the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics, which he has done for over 30 years.  Judge Payne has been an active member of the National Bar Association and continues to host a yearly cookout at his home, including UK’s Black Law Student Association in the gathering, which has occurred for nearly three decades.