By Chris Taylor
Murray, KY – Murray State University Regent and Court of Appeals Judge Jeff Taylor resigned yesterday citing a conflict of interest. Judge Taylor is expected to hold a news conference today announcing his decision. The conflict of interest comes from a judiciary ethics committee ruling last April, deciding that sitting judges serving on state university governing boards is unconstitutional. Taylor was the only seated judge serving on a current university board, but he was not the first. Former Court of Appeals Judge Bill Howerton of Paducah served at Murray State and both former Supreme Court chief justices Robert Stephens and Joseph Lambert served on the University of Kentucky board. MSU officials say it may take about two months to fill the vacancy.