2010 Hall of Fame Inductee Julia H. Adams Class of 1978

Judge Julia Hylton Adams is a Senior Judge with the Kentucky Court of Justice. She has previously served as District and Circuit Judge of the 25th Judicial Circuit. She has served multiple terms as President of the Kentucky District and Circuit Judges Associations. 

The KBA named her Outstanding Judge in 2001. In 2002, KATA awarded her the Pennington Outstanding Trial Judge honor. Judge Adams received the Distinguished Jurist Alumnus Award from the UK College of Law in 2009. Amongst other accolades, she has received the Justice for Children Award from the Kentucky Juvenile Justice Commission and the Juvenile Justice Award from the Kentucky Council on Crime and Delinquency. 

Currently, she chairs the Circuit Judges Education Committee and serves as a member of the Circuit Judges Education Academy. Over her professional career, Judge Adams provided training for state and national organizations including the KBA, Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the National Juvenile Justice Conference. Of all her professional accomplishments, Judge Adams’ great pride stems from her role in judicial education and her service as a Kentucky Mentor Judge. 

Judge Adams and her husband, Steven D. Adams, are the parents of Cole, UK College of Law 2009, who is a trial attorney for the Department of Public Advocacy and Lisle , a Transylvania University graduate serving in AmeriCorps.