John R. Hayne is the First Assistant County Attorney.  He graduated from Paul Dunbar High School (Lexington). He is a 2003 graduate of Transylvania University with a B.A. in accounting,  earned his master’s degree in accounting from the University of Kentucky in 2004, and his law degree from the University of Kentucky in 2007. Prior to joining the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in August, 2008, John was the staff attorney for Judge Thomas Clark of the Fayette Circuit Court.   John was an Assistant Fayette County Attorney in the general prosecution division from 2008 to 2018. During this time, John  also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Lexington office of the U.S. Attorney from 2014-16 prosecuting federal crimes involving firearms, narcotics, and white-collar fraud. John has also served as a special assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Bourbon and Scott Counties where he tried cases to a jury for various felony offenses including Murder, Rape, Burglary and Arson. In addition to the practice of law, John has also served as a part-time instructor of accounting at Transylvania University. John has previously served as a board member of the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center, The First Tee of Lexington, and the Transylvania Alumni Board. John is currently on the advisory board of the North Lexington YMCA Board, a mentor for the Transylvania 100 Doors program and the treasurer of You Matter Kentucky! (a juvenile treatment court program).

Elizabeth Bancroft graduated from Michigan State University and Valparaiso School of Law, receiving her J.D. degree in 1996. She worked as a deputy prosecutor for three years in South Bend, Indiana, and later formed her own law firm which operated for two years. She relocated to Lexington in 2002, and joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in July, 2002 as a general prosecutor. Liz has a lead role in the office in running the Fayette County Drug Court and assisting families with Casey’s Law petitions (forced drug treatment).

Charles “Sam” Finley grew up in the small town of Manchester, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in history and a minor in geography in 2008. He received his law degree from Salmon P. Chase College of Law in May, 2011. Throughout law school, Sam worked as a prosecution intern at the Fayette County Attorney’s Office. In October, 2011, Sam was hired as an Assistant County Attorney and began working in our Juvenile Division. He is currently in General Prosecution.

R. Lee Greenup Lee Greenup was born and raised in Bourbon County, Kentucky. He graduated from Transylvania University, read postgraduate British history and government at Exeter College, Oxford and earned a J.D. from the University of Kentucky. He returned to his hometown of Paris, Kentucky and practiced for sixteen years, focusing on criminal defense. In October of 1999, he became an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit and worked there until January 1, 2019, when he joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office.

Caroline T. Herald is an Assistant Fayette County Attorney. A native of Breathitt County, Kentucky, she joined the office in 2022.

Caroline earned her B.A from the University of Kentucky in Political Science. She was a member of Kappa Delta sorority and served as parliamentarian. Caroline graduated from Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 2021. While in law school, she was a member of the NKU Chase Criminal Law Association, the Trial Team, and served as a representative for her 1L Class. Having exhibited high honor through the art of courtroom advocacy, she was selected as a national member of the Order of Barristers.

During her time in law school, Caroline was a law clerk for Kroener and Hale Law Firm, and Donald Nageliesen, PLLC. She also served as a summer intern for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in the 17th judicial circuit of Kentucky, and for the Campbell County District Court Judge.

Prior to joining the Fayette County Attorney’s Office, Caroline served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 14th Judicial Circuit.

Lindsay Perdue – Lindsay is originally from Lexington, Kentucky. She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 2008. In 2013, she earned her Juris Doctorate from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. After law school, she worked as an attorney with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass in Ashland, Kentucky. In 2015, she returned to Lexington and worked as a public defender with the Department of Public Advocacy. In the Fall of 2021, she joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in General Prosecution.

Brittany Z. Wright graduated from the University of Louisville with a B.S. in Administration of Justice. She moved to Mississippi and worked as a legal assistant at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Mississippi. In 2016, Brittany moved back to Kentucky to attend law school. Throughout law school, Brittany worked as a Judicial Clerk for U.S. District Court Judge William Bertlesman, Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Glenn Acree, and 14th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Jeremy Mattox. She also worked as a legal intern at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center in the Constitutional Litigation Clinic during her 3L year. Brittany received her J.D. from Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 2019. She became a Staff Attorney for Judge Mattox and worked there until July 2021, when she joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in general prosecution.

Jade Morgan was born and raised in Knott County, Kentucky. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2014 with a B.A. in Gender & Women’s Studies. She attended the University of Kentucky College of Law, where she was a member of the Kentucky Law Journal, and graduated with her J.D. in 2017. After law school, she served as staff attorney to Fayette Circuit Family Court Judge Libby G. Messer. She joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in August, 2019 and serves in the Juvenile Division.

Michael Dearing is a life-long resident of Lexington, Kentucky.  He is a graduate of Bryan Station High and Georgetown College. He received his J.D. from the University of Kentucky, College of Law in 1982.  Mike rejoined the Child Support Division in June, 2008, having previously worked for the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in the early 90’s.  In the interim, he was a member of the Lexington law firm of Wilson, Polites and McQueen, specializing in civil litigation. .

John Jones II grew up in Paintsville, Kentucky, and graduated from Georgetown College in 2006 with a B.A. in Political Science. He received his J.D. from the University of Kentucky, College of Law in May, 2009. John joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in January, 2010 in the Division of Child Support Enforcement. .

Jill Holtman Koenig grew up in Elsmere, Kentucky. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2007 with a B.A. in Communications. She completed the judicial clerkship course in Fayette Family Court while in her final semester of law school and received her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law in May, 2010. Jill joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office in May, 2013, in the Division of Child Support Enforcement.