LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Ellie Kerstetter was recently sworn-in to serve in Jefferson County Family Court, making history as Kentucky's first Latina judge.
After practicing law for 20 years, a recent call from Gov. Andy Beshear changed Kerstetter's life.
"He told me, and I kind of freaked out," she said.
She replaced Judge Deborah Deweese, who retired three years before the end of her term.
Kerstetter was surrounded by excited family, friends, fellow judges and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer during her swearing-in ceremony Thursday.
"The idea behind that is that I can inspire other young girls and boys to go to law school and become a judge," said Kerstetter, a graduate of the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law.
Minervia Virola, a proud Puerto Rican now retired from the Louisville Metro Police Department and the FBI, is a longtime friend of Kerstetter's. She says the Latina community desperately needed a role model like Kerstetter.
"This is a big, big, big honor to have Ellie Kerstetter as our first Latina Judge," Virola said. "A role model to say, 'I'm doing this, and you can do it too, and I'm leaving that door open for you to enter.'"
Kerstetter is proud to make history, but she said that's not the only reason she's qualified and has a desire to serve in Family Court. "I'm a survivor of domestic violence, so I have been an advocate of domestic violence for a long time," she said.
She also hopes to help some non-English speaking courtroom visitors navigate their way through the system.
"I think that will make a difference, because if justice doesn't help you deal with your issue because you don't know what the heck is going on or you don't understand the procedure, to me, that's not justice," Kerstetter said.
But make no mistake: Kerstetter said justice, not race, will rule in her courtroom.
"Justice is blind," she said.
Kerstetter will have to win the seat with voters on the November ballot, but she believes this is her calling and said she will work hard to keep the job.
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