FLEMINGSBURG — The dedication of a judicial portrait of the late Judge Frank Howard McCartney was held at Fleming County District Courtroom Friday afternoon.

Friends, fellow jurists, colleagues and the general public were invited to attend. District Judge Jeffrey Schumacher presided over the dedication ceremony.

McCartney died at his home on Jan. 7, 2017. The mantle of district judge was then passed on to Jeffrey L. Schumacher on May 5 of that year, a position he currently holds.

A dedication of portraits for previous district judges who have retired or died is a sort of tradition that Schumacher aims to uphold.

“When I first started practicing with (the late) John McNeill in 1992, we would come to Flemingsburg and go to the old courthouse, and my favorite thing about the old courthouse was the paintings that lined the walls,” Schumacher said during the introduction to the ceremony.

After the introduction, remarks were made by Marvin Suit, partner at law with Frank McCartney, 19th Judicial Circuit Judge Stockton B. Wood, retired District Judge Todd Walton, who was the predecessor to McCartney, Fleming County Attorney John Price and Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Michelle Keller.

“Judge McCartney was a fabulous man in many different ways, and I’m sure we’ll hear various people speak on that,” Walton said, before the ceremony. “Judge Schumacher has been very instrumental in leading initially for these portraits to be created and hung in the various courthouses, and that is a very noble undertaking and one I think we all who serve in the court system appreciate greatly.”

“I respected (McCartney) as a jurist,” Maysville Police Chief Ron Rice said, before the ceremony. “My wife had the opportunity to meet and work somewhat with his wife, Marsha, so I kind of knew him along those lines.”

Once remarks were made, the portrait of McCartney was finally unveiled. The portrait was painted by local artist Steve White. Two copies of the portrait will also be displayed in Mason County and Bracken County judicial centers with Fleming County housing the original.

Closing remarks were made by McCartney’s widow, Marsha.

https://maysville-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/web1_IMG_9597-1.jpg

Jonathan Wright

[email protected]