--- title: "Karen K. Caldwell | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-k-caldwell" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Karen K. Caldwell U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky · U.S. District Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky - State: Kentucky - Role: U.S. District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Karen Kaye Caldwell is a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky, serving since 2001, and previously the court’s Chief Judge — 2012–2019 - Judge, District Court, E.D. Kentucky, 2001-present - Adjunct professor, Eastern Kentucky University, 1987-present - held the role of adjunct professor at Transylvania University (2000) - U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, 1991-1993 - She later practiced law in Kentucky, including as a partner at Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP ### Education ### Additional information - Chief Judge: October 15, 2012 – August 2019 - Private practice, Kentucky, 1993-2001 - Caldwell earned her B.A. in 1977 from Transylvania University and her J.D. in 1980 from the University of Kentucky College of Law Before joining the judiciary, she worked as a Field Claims Representative for State Farm Fire & Casualty (1980–1987), held the role of an adjunct professor at Eastern Kentucky University (1984–1985, 1987), and as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky (1987–1990) - Born 1956 in Stanford, Kentucky - Date of birth: 1956-01-01 - Birth place: Stanford, KY ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide Courtwide presentation-related guidance applies to this judge. Evidence excerpt: **As of May 2023 Lexington Courtroom A Courtroom Technology has been updated** . The new courtroom evidence presentation technology includes the following . Laptop inputs for HDMI, USB C, Display Port, and Mini Display Port (No VGA input option) . [Courtroom Technology | Eastern District of Kentucky | United States District Court](https://www.kyed.uscourts.gov/courtroom-technology) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391306) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391306) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391306) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/509/karen-k-caldwell/) - [Courtroom Technology | Eastern District of Kentucky | United States District Court](https://www.kyed.uscourts.gov/courtroom-technology) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/509/karen-k-caldwell/) - [Wikidata: Karen K. Caldwell](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6369750) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-k-caldwell", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-k-caldwell", "name": "Karen K. Caldwell | KnowJudges", "description": "Karen K. Caldwell, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-k-caldwell#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-k-caldwell#judge", "name": "Karen K. 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Caldwell", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karen-k-caldwell" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 212 | 7 | Not available | 7 | | 2y | 386 | 65 | 0.5 | 65 | | 5y | 866 | 468 | 4.2 | 468 | | 10y | 2267 | 1748 | 7.4 | 1748 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.