Joe Ross, the Democratic nominee for Logan County Attorney, believes he has the experience to fill that position well.  Additionally, he wants to help others get second chances to turn their lives around as citizens, as he did physically.

     He is assistant commonwealth attorney in Gail Guiling’s office and worked with Todd County Attorney Mac Johns, a Russellville native, in both his private practice and in his role with county government.

    “My experiences both professionally and personally have prepared me for this job,” he says. “The two primary aspects of the county attorney position are representing Logan County in Logan District Court and serving as legal advisor to the Logan County Fiscal Court.  Since coming to the commonwealth attorney’s office, I have worked daily as a prosecutor representing the citizens of Logan and Todd County in Circuit Court.  I have also represented the Commonwealth in Todd District Court as Assistant Todd County Attorney. Because of this I can handle any task in the courtroom.

    “As for advising the fiscal court, my time with Mac Johns, as his assistant and associate in his legal practice, has been focused on representing counties and other local governments. This experience has well prepared me to be legal advisor to the fiscal court. I have tried criminal and civil cases, cases in state and federal courts. I have  spent time representing the Commonwealth, prosecuting in criminal court, defending in civil court. My experience in the Commonwealth Attorney's Office and with Mac has prepared me for every aspect of this job.”   

     Ross  assumed the position of Assistant Commonwealth Attorney to the late Charles Orange after serving a year as the staff attorney to Circuit Judge Tyler Gill. He continued in that role after the untimely passing of Mr. Orange and subsequent appointment and election of Guiling. 
     “I have represented the Commonwealth in almost every type of hearing in Logan Circuit Court.  I have extensive trial experience, winning numerous drug cases, rape cases, and a 28-year-old murder cold case,” he says. “I have been a part of countless other cases that were resolved before trial. Since coming to Logan County, I have spent more time in the courtroom than most any other attorney, with the possible exception of the judges themselves. Because of my knowledge and experience in the courtroom.”

      Joe Ross says the primary focus of his practice with Johns has been representing county governments across the western half of the state. They successfully defended a Kentucky county in the Federal District Court in Paducah. He feels this experience would be an asset in advising Logan Fiscal Court on legal matters.
     Joe Ross’ life took a dramatic turn when a congenital health problem attacked him while he was still in high school. He suffered severe sight loss that bordered on total blindness. He was diagnosed with a hereditary disease (Lebers Hereditary Optic Neuropathy) whereby one’s central vision is lost. His once 20/20 vision was gone and replaced with 20/500 vision. As a promising athlete at Monroe County High School who was in line for a college scholarship and was looking toward law school, he was severely limited in what activities he could participate in. The voluminous reading required of law students also seemed out of his reach, especially when the time frame in which this disability usually corrects itself passed without any improvement.
     He had to learn to live his life as a blind person. He received assistance from the Kentucky Department of the Blind. “During that first semester of college, I learned a great deal about myself. I learned that I could achieve everything, just as a fully sighted person could. I decided that whatever I did with my life, I wanted to help others, because I knew I would not be where I was without those people who had helped me with my struggles.”
     Then after four years, suddenly his vision made remarkable improvement. He was able to apply for law school and was accepted at the University of Kentucky College of Law.
     “By the grace of God, my vision is still with me today and I consider every day a blessing. What I have had to overcome has made me a better person. I know what hard work is and through that hard work, anything can be accomplished. Most importantly, it has taught me the importance of helping my fellow man, because you do not know what someone has gone through based upon what you see.”  

     “I believe that justice involves doing the right thing. It’s not as much about winning a case as it is in doing the right thin,” he says. “Second chances are an appropriate part of justice for first-time offenders unless abuse or drugs are involved. I’m a big believer in drug treatment, which is often tougher than time spend in jail.”

     He also promises to work on getting cases resolved quicker so that county inmates can turn into state prisoners when the crime merits that status.

     Ross came to Logan County as the first staff attorney to Circuit Judge Tyler Gill and “has been truly thankful every day since. Early on in my time with Judge Gill, I knew Logan County was the place where I wanted to serve and live. I got that opportunity when I was appointed by Charles Orange to be his assistant in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. As soon as I took the job, my wife Amy and I bought a house and have been here since.”
      Joe is the son of Maxie Ross of Tompkinsville and Kim Howard of Bowling Green. His dad works as a pharmacist at the Monroe County Medical Center and his mom is a psychiatric nurse for Psychiatric Associates in Bowling Green.  

     Amy and Joe first met during the first month that they were students at Western Kentucky University where they both graduated. Amy is the daughter of the late Dr. Mark Carwell and Sallie Carwell of Bowling Green. She is currently employed at Fruit of the Loom in Bowling Green. They have been married seven years.

    Joe Ross is a member of the Russellville Rotary Club where he serves on the Breathitt House Board,  a member of the board and legal advisor for the local CrimeStoppers, a volunteer for the Logan County Humane Society where Amy is the secretary of the Board of Directors, and a member of the Coon Range and Red River Fish & Game Clubs. The Rosses are active members of Fellowship Church of Christ.