Former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Wil Schroder has died. He was 67.
His cousin, Kenton County Judge-executive Steve Arlinghaus, told The Kentucky Enquirer that Schroder died away late Saturday night.
Schroder retired from the court in January after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Before being elected to an eight-year term on the Supreme Court in 2006, he served on the Court of Appeals for 15 years and as a trial judge on Kenton District Court for nearly eight years.
In May, the Northern Kentucky Bar Association honored Schroder with its Legacy of Justice Award.
Kentucky Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. once described Schroder as “highly ethical and known for standing by his convictions.”
In May 2012, Schroder vehemently dissented from a decision that preserved a discount for judges on bar dues, saying the break no longer made sense given that many judges make more than attorneys in private practice.
“I find it morally offensive that we should be treated as a privileged class,” he said. “We are all lawyers and members of the same bar association.”
Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.
