The Domestic Violence Unit specializes in prosecution of crimes involving relationship violence, and child (physical and sexual) abuse. This unit, through focused prosecution, espouses both the sensitive support of victims and education to break the "cycle of violence" which perpetuates in such situations.
John Balliet - Division Chief, Second Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Mr. Balliet received his license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1990 and came to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney in September of 1990. Mr. Balliet received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Stanford University in 1967 and his Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco in 1971. Before coming to the Commonwealth, Mr. Balliet worked as a solo practitioner from 1972 to 1974 and as a Partner in the law firm of Balliet & Jacomb from 1974 to 1990. Mr. Balliet has been active in Citizens for Better Judges and served on the Louisville Bar Association, Professional Responsibility Committee from 1993 to 1997. Mr. Balliet received the Defender Achievement Award from the California Public Defender's Association in 1986. Since moving to Kentucky he received the Prosecutor of the Year Award presented by the Kentuckianas' Voice for Crime Victims for 1994. Mr. Balliet is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association, and an inactive member of the California Bar Association. Mr. Balliet was certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the California Board of Legal Specialization from 1978 to 1990. Mr. Balliet will become the Division Chief for the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit upon the retirement of Carol Cobb in December, 2008.
Mr. Balliet also serves as Second Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, a statutory position which means he serves as Commonwealth's Attorney in the absence of the elected official and the First Assistant.
Ms. Foster received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1997 and became an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in July of 2001. Ms. Foster received her Bachelor of Arts in History/Government in 1994 from Western Kentucky University and her Juris Doctor in 1997 from Tulane University. Before becoming an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Ms. Foster worked as an Associate for Sewell & Associates from 1998 to June of 2001. Ms. Foster also worked as a Student Attorney for the Tulane University Criminal Law Clinic from 1996 to 1997, as a Clerk for Seiller & Handmaker during the summer of 1996 and as a Clerk for Georgia Legal Services during the summer of 1995.
In addition, Ms. Foster is a member of Business and Professional Women/River City and a volunteer with Gilda's Club Louisville. She was bestowed with a 2009 Emily Award for her volunteer service with Gilda's Club. Ms. Foster is a professional member of the Indiana Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association and the Louisville Bar Association. Ms. Foster is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Jonathan Heck - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Mr. Heck received his license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2002, and became an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in January 2004. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and History from Bellarmine University in 1997, and his law degree from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 2001.
Mr. Heck has served as a Jefferson Circuit Court Judicial Clerk and as a Staff Attorney in Jefferson Circuit Court, Division Six. He previously worked as a defense attorney in the law office of David Lambertus. Mr. Heck has developed an expertise in the area of cybercrimes against children, and is recognized as one of Kentucky’s experts in that regard. In 2006, he was named as one of “the best lawyers under age 40” by Louisville Magazine in that publication’s Best Lawyers edition. He serves as a member of the St. Joseph's Children's Home Picnic Planning Committee. Mr. Heck is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association and Kentucky Bar Association. He is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Katherine Kingren - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. Kingren received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1994, and joined the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in September 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Philosophy from the University of Louisville in 1990, a Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Duke University in 1993, and her Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law in 1993. After her graduation from law school, Ms. Kingren served as an Assistant District Defender in the Jefferson District Public Defender's Office for five years. After engaging in the private practice of law as a sole practitioner for three years, she joined the Cabinet for Families and Children as Assistant General Counsel and served in that capacity in Frankfort until her appointment as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney.
Ms. Kingren is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association and Kentucky Bar Association, and she is licensed to practice in Federal Courts in the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky and also in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit and also serves as one of two CAO Mentoring Managers.
Michelle Rudovich - Juvenile Crime Liaison, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. Rudovich received her license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2005, and became an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in October of that year. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from the University of Louisville in 2002, and she graduated from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 2005. While in law school, she served as President of the Student Bar Association and as Chief Justice of the Student Government Association Supreme Court. Ms. Rudovich placed third in the nation in the Negotiations Competition sponsored by the American Bar Association. Prior to graduation, she worked as a Law Clerk for Phillips, Parker, Orberson, and Moore and for the Legal Aid Society. Ms. Rudovich is currently a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association, Kentucky Bar Association, and Young Professionals Association of Louisville. She is an adjunct professor at the Brandeis School of law and recently coached the law school’s Negotiations Team which placed first in the nation. She currently serves as the Juvenile Crime Liaison for the office. Ms. Rudovich is assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
David Scott - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Mr. Scott received his license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2008 and was sworn in as an Assistant in October of that year. Mr. Scott received his B.S. in Business Administration in 2005 from the University of Louisville, and he also received his J.D. from the University of Louisville School of Law in 2008. Prior to becoming an ACA, he served the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office as a Law Clerk for 18 months, and he also externed at the office for two semesters. Mr. Scott owned and operated a lawn care and landscaping business for seven years. In his last year of law school, David and his partner won the American Bar Association National Negotiation Competition in Los Angeles, California. That led to his competing in London, England in the International Negotiation Competition in the summer of 2008. (For more information about this competition, please see the CAO home page.) He is a professional member of the Louisville Bar Association and the Kentucky Bar Association. Mr. Scott is currently assigned to the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Sara Adair - Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney
Ms. Adair graduated cum laude from the University of Louisville with a B.S. in Justice Administration in 2004, and she also graduated cum laude from the University of Louisville School of Law with a J.D. degree in 2008. In law school, she earned the Best Brief Award. She was admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in October 2008. Prior to becoming an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Ms. Adair served as a Law Clerk at the Jefferson County Attorney's Office for over two years. She also externed at the Coroner's Office and the Legal Aid Society. She is belongs to the Jefferson County Women Lawyers Association, and is a professional member of the Kentucky Bar Association. Ms. Adair is currently assigned to Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Unit.
Melissa Reynolds - Paralegal
Jenny Lynn - Paralegal
Sarah House - Paralegal
Jean Keidel- Secretary
Terri Shultz- Secretary
