Sara Walter Combs (born August 24, 1948)[1] is a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, representing the 7th Appellate District.
She was also the first woman to sit on the Kentucky Supreme Court after being appointed by Governor Brereton Jones to fill a vacancy in 1993.
[8][9][7] During Walter's time at Naegele, the FBI conducted a three-year investigation of the company for overcharging customers and illegally contributing to the 1983 gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Martha Layne Collins.
[10] The scope of the investigation was narrowed after Naegele repaid customers it had overcharged, blaming the discrepancy on a clerical error.
[9] After the wedding, Sara Combs remained with Naegele until she established her own legal practice in Stanton, Kentucky.
[9] The couple built a log cabin on Bert Combs' farm, Fern Hill, in Powell County.
[6] At about 10:00 p.m. on December 3, 1991, Sara Combs reported to the Kentucky State Police that her husband had left Lexington between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. that day, but had not yet arrived home.
[12] By noon, a family friend had discovered his body about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) downstream, snagged on a bush.
[5] Jones told WLEX, "I think we need a woman on the Supreme Court", but promised "I will choose the most qualified person in my opinion.
[18] Many women's rights groups announced their support for Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Janet Stumbo, who had already declared her candidacy for the November special election to fill the remainder of Combs' term.
[19] In January 1994, Governor Jones announced that he would appoint Combs to fill the seat vacated by Stumbo on the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
[22] A week before the election, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Hogg, who had a distaste for political campaigning, had raised only $4,625 and spent only $1,317, and none of that in the preceding four months.
[24] She was elected to represent the 7th Appellate District to fill the remaining six years left on Janet Stumbo's term to expire in 2000.
In 2015, after twenty-five years of widowhood, Judge Combs married Ernie Dudleson, a retired Kentucky State Trooper.
Judge Combs continues her work on the Court of Appeals and the care and tending of many pets at Fern Hill.