Chad Meredith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky | |
| Assumed office November 3, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Danny C. Reeves |
| 1st Solicitor General of Kentucky | |
| In office 2019–2021 | |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Matt Kuhn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stephen Chad Meredith 1981 (age 44–45)[1] Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Relations | Stephen Meredith (father) |
| Education | Washington and Lee University (BA) University of Kentucky (JD) |
Stephen Chad Meredith[2] (known professionally asChad Meredith; born 1981) is aUnited States district judge of theDistrict Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. He previously served as the firstsolicitor general of Kentucky from 2019 to 2021.
A native ofLexington, Kentucky, Meredith is the son ofStephen Meredith, a member of theKentucky Senate. Meredith earned aBachelor of Arts degree,summa cum laude, fromWashington and Lee University in 2004. While at Washington and Lee, Meredith was inducted as a member of thePhi Beta Kappa andOmicron Delta Kappa honor societies.[3] He earned hisJuris Doctor,summa cum laude andOrder of the Coif, from theUniversity of Kentucky College of Law in 2007.[4][5][6]
Meredith is a member of theFederalist Society.[4]
After law school, Meredith served as alaw clerk for JudgeJohn M. Rogers and JudgeAmul Thapar before joiningFrost Brown Todd as a litigator. He later worked for Ransdell & Roach before joining the administration ofGovernorMatt Bevin in 2015 as chief deputy general counsel. In December 2019,Attorney GeneralDaniel Cameron appointed Meredith as the commonwealth's first solicitor general, a position he would continue to hold until 2021.[7]
In 2020, Meredith wasvetted to possibly be nominated by PresidentDonald Trump to theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky following the elevation of JudgeJustin R. Walker to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. However, Meredith was passed over in favor ofBenjamin Beaton.[8] Following this, Meredith joinedSquire Patton Boggs asof counsel to their global litigation practice group.[9]
In late-June 2022, it was reported that PresidentJoe Biden would nominate Meredith to serve as a judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.[10] The nomination announcement was originally scheduled for June 24, the same day theDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision was released. The plan to nominate Meredith, which was struck between Biden and Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell, was criticized by Democrats due to Meredith's anti-abortion stances.[11][12] Despite McConnell's support, the nomination was never formally put forward by Biden in accordance with theblue slip rule due to opposition from SenatorRand Paul.[13]
On June 18, 2025, President Trump announced his intention to nominate Meredith to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky to a seat vacated by JudgeDanny C. Reeves. The nomination was formally transmitted to theUnited States Senate on June 23, 2025, was approved by theUnited States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on September 11 by a 12–10 vote.[14][15][16] Senator Paul stated that he would support Meredith's nomination despite his previous opposition in 2022.[13] On October 22, 2025, the Senate invokedcloture on his nomination by a 52–45 vote.[17] The next day, the Senate voted to confirm his nomination by a 48–45 vote.[18] He received his judicial commission on November 3, 2025.[1]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky 2025–present | Incumbent |