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Admitted: 1951, Kentucky Law School: University of Kentucky, J.D. Member: American Bar Association; Louisville Bar Association; Bullitt County Bar Association; Kentucky Bar Association, Character and Fitness Committee, elected to KBA House of Delegates, Trial Panel member, Chaired KBA Committee to redraft Bar Discipline rules. Biography: General practice of law in Kentucky and by special appearance in other states since 1951 in State and Federal Courts and before State and Federal Administrative Agencies. Lawyer Rating: Peer Review Rated as "A" - "Very High to Preeminent in Legal Ability" and "V" - "Very High in Legal Ethics" by Martindale-Hubble Law Directory. Rated by Better Business Bureau as "A+." Listed in Louisville Magazine's "Top Lawyers in Louisville" Public Offices: Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission, 1998-present; Bullitt County Attorney, 1958-1962, 1966-1973, 1982-1989; City Attorney, Shepherdsville, 1953-1958, Mt. Washington, Lebanon Junction, Hillview; Attorney for Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission; State Representative, Bullitt and Spencer Counties, 1974-1978; Chairman, House Judiciary Committee, 1976-1978; Governor's ad hoc Committee Judicial Article, Ky. Constitution Reform (1976-1978); Chaired Joint House and Senate Judiciary Committee public hearings resulting in legislation abolishing private bail bonding system in Kentucky; Member House, Cities and Counties Committee; Successfully sponsored following legislation: KRS 354.350 Requires civil decisions by Judges and Commissioners within 90 days of submission, KRS 26A.015 Judicial disqualification KRS 29A-Juries Jury selection process KRS 26A.080 Legal Ethics KRS 23A.020 Established the Bullitt Circuit Court as a single county full time court for the first time KRS 24A.050(29) Provided Bullitt County with a second District Judge for the first time. KRS 15.700 Established the Unified and Integrated Prosecutorial System in Kentucky KRS 189.010(3) Horse and buggy law no longer applies to parking lot accidents and drivers are bound by the rules of the road to off street parking facilities offered to public use. As a citizen, successfully proposed and lobbied for Kentucky's first Horizontal Property Law, KRS 381.805. Other: Lectured to the facility and student body on the American doctrine of separation of Constitutional Powers at the Northwest Institute of Politics and Law in Xian. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: American Citizen Ambassador Program participant, 1986 - toured China to make comparative study of Chinese and American Law, delegation of eighteen led by Chief Justice William Utter of Washington State Supreme Court and consisted of Appellate Judges, Trial Judges, State Senators, Representatives, Officials and Attorneys from all over America. Helped a Chinese politically oppressed lawyer come to America. His oppression resulted from his activity in the Tiananmen Square protest. He is now our key to doing business in China. Memberships: Kentucky Bar Foundation - Charter Fellow; Fellow of the University of Kentucky; Filson Historical Society, Life Member; University of Kentucky Alumni Association, Life Member; Kentucky Trial Lawyers (now KJA), Charter Member; Board of Governors Vice President and Member, 22 years Kentucky Bar Title Insurance Company, Board of Directors; Bullitt County Arts Council; Bullitt County Chamber of Commerce. MilitaryService: United States Marine Corps, 1945-1946
Tom Givhan is a native of Lexington, Kentucky. Upon graduation from Henry Clay High School he entered the University of Kentucky with a football scholarship there. He served in the Pacific Theater as a Marine during World War II. He earned his J.D. at the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1951 entering practice in Shepherdsville.
He is a member of the Bullitt County, Louisville and Kentucky Bar Associations. He is a Charter Life Fellow of the Kentucky Bar Association and Fellow of the University of Kentucky.
Tom continues his daily practice as senior member of the firm. He has continuously maintained a private practice in Shepherdsville while holding public offices. He has been Chairman of the Bullitt County Democratic Party, Shepherdsville City Attorney, Bullitt County Attorney five different terms, and State Representative for Bullitt and Spencer Counties for two terms. During his legislative service he was Chair of the House Judiciary Committee charged with implementation of the Kentucky Constitutional Judicial Reform following amendment of the Judicial Article in 1974. He is the senior member of the Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission.
Tom lives in Shepherdsville at Bartram Hall Farm where he actively engages in farming and land development and our law practice. He has traveled extensively and engages in international practice, particularly concentrating in clientele that do business in Russia and in mainland China. He practices personal injury, trial, probate, international and real estate law in his general practice.
His trial experience includes defending 23 murder cases and prosecution of one to the death penalty. He has been involved in a number of precedent setting appeals.
To read some of our published appellate decidions, click our links to the Kentucky Supreme Court and Kentucky Court of Appeals.
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