PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WMDJ) — Pike Circuit Judge Howard Keith Hall has been cleared of all federal charges after jurors returned a not guilty verdict Monday in U.S. District Court in Frankfort. The decision came at the conclusion of a trial that began Nov. 10 and stretched more than a week.

Hall had faced allegations connected to his time as Pike County Attorney. Federal prosecutors claimed that an assistant in the office, Michael Shane Hall, was paid over several years without performing duties for the position. The reported pay and benefits totaled more than $440,000.

Hall stepped away from the county attorney’s office in 2020 to run for circuit judge, winning the election later that year. After his indictment this spring, the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission temporarily barred him from serving while the case moved forward.

Following the verdict, Hall’s defense team said the family will take time to recover after months of uncertainty. They also pointed to the political backdrop surrounding the case, noting the tensions that accompanied both the 2020 judicial race and the 2022 county attorney election.

Hall is expected to resume his judicial role, with any questions about future recusals addressed as needed.