Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III followed the recommendation of a jury, which, in May, found Lawson guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
The filing comes about two months after attorneys for Lawson asked a judge to either grant him a new trial or throw out the May 30 guilty verdict, arguing he was denied a fair trial.
A final sentencing hearing will be held Aug. 21 in Nelson County.
The defense argues that Joseph Lawson should have been given a directed verdict (or acquittal) by the judge after the prosecution finished its case.
Prosecutor Shane Young asked jurors to sentence Houck to life in prison. Houck would still be eligible for parole in 20 years.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday morning in the trial of Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson.
The Crystal Rogers murder trial is being closely watched across Kentucky and the country.
It's rare in Kentucky for murder cases to make it to trial without any of this evidence, attorneys told WDRB News.
Lawson, 54, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence on May 30.
The experts are expected to offer specialized testimony related to law enforcement practices.