When Wanda Albertson White vacated her former office in early January, she left after having served as Clinton County Attorney for some 12 years over three full terms in office. White also made political history in the county in the late ‘90s, becoming the first woman to ever be elected to that position in Clinton County.

White was first elected in 1998, taking office for her first term in January of 1999. She served with three different county judge/executives on the fiscal court (Charlene King, Donnie McWhorter and Lyle Huff) and various judicial district judges. Those included Jack Miller, Jeff Choate, Robert Wilson, Robyn Williams and current District Judge Mike Lawson, all of whom she said she enjoyed working with, as well as current Circuit Judge Eddie C. Lovelace.

In describing some primary duties as county attorney, White said what kept her most busy was the criminal aspect of the job, having to begin the prosecutors aspect, usually issuing warrants on about every case that eventually went through the court system.

White also worked with various law enforcement officials, but local and state and county attorneys have to spend a great deal of time in the courtroom. Even major crime felony cases usually begin through the County Attorneys Office as the cases proceed through the court system.

White also noted the duties with the fiscal court included doing research, preparing documents, including dealing with county road openings and closings and giving fiscal court advice on legal issues.

The former county attorney said she saw several changes in the laws over the 12 years she served. For example, the intoxication level for DUI offenders was 0.10 when she took office and that dropped to 0.08 to be considered legally intoxicated.

White also noted that with the influx of prescription drugs, not to mention higher levels of meth cases and so forth, toxicology and other lab tests had to be used to determine if some prescription drugs had resulted in impaired driving in some cases.

White noted that the county attorney’s job was “tough in general” because living in a small rural community, you have to handle cases involving people you know but you still “have to follow the law across the board,” she said, adding that she saw some people in unfortunate circumstances.

She noted that one of the most rewarding aspects of the duties, however, were in cases where she saw victims feel they had received equal and just treatment through the court system.

As many in the legal profession may tell you, White also believes the increase usage and manufacturing of drugs–not only in Clinton County but about everywhere–is one of the most prominent problems the legal system faces. She noted when she first took office, it seemed she would have to issue a warrant a week in relation to a suspected meth lab.

White said the thing she would probably miss the most about the county attorney role would be working with the people in the court system, but noted that since she is now in private practice, she will still have contact with those people.

White, who is now back in private practice in her same office location, is still licensed to practice law in both Kentucky and Tennessee and is back to handling private cases, something she said she could put more individual time into.

The former county attorney, daughter of Charles and Vera Albertson, is a Clinton County native and 1981 graduate of Clinton County High School and 1984 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University. She received her law degree from Northern Kentucky University/Chase School of Law in 1987.

After interning with Circuit Judge Philip Morgan for a couple of years in the late 1980s, White opened a law office in neighboring Byrdstown, Tennessee and later opened her practice in Clinton County in 1998, the year she first ran and was elected one of three terms as Clinton County Attorney.

White has two children, Brett, 18, a senior at CCHS and Maria, 17, a junior at Pickett County High School.

White concluded by saying she appreciated the opportunity to have served the people of Clinton County for 12 years and had enjoyed working with all the people she had worked with, as well as thanking her supporters throughout the years. She also added that Clinton County had some of the best individuals (judges, attorneys, etc.) in the judicial system as you would find anywhere.