Hon. Matthew J. Baker - Bowling Green, KY
Attorney at Matthew J. Baker, Attorney
General Civil Litigation Lawyers in Bowling Green, KY
561 E Main Ave Bowling Green, KY 42101
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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40
Years
Experience
Bowling Green General Civil Litigation Lawyer
Updated: 05/07/2026
Areas of Practice
- General Civil Litigation
- Family Law
- Criminal Law
- Appeals
Litigation: 80%
Attorney Information
Overview
Matt provides a broad range of legal services to clients across Kentucky. He has represented Fortune 100 companies, mom-and -pops, and individuals on a wide variety of issues, ranging from general civil litigation, to high-profile criminal cases, to family law, and appeals. His criminal practice ranges from traffic court to murder trials, and he was counsel for Rene Boucher in both the criminal and civil cases regarding the assault on U. S. Senator Rand Paul. The criminal case resulted in two published opinions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Similarly, his civil practice includes litigation in small claims, district court, circuit court, and federal court.
He began his career as an officer and judge advocate in the United States Marine Corps, and he has also served as a judge on the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He has been counsel of record in over 250 cases on appeal in state and federal court: and he has an active trial practice, as welt.
Matt has served on several local boards and commissions, and he is a volunteer every Saturday morning at the local MEALS program, which prepares and serves over 250 meals to the underprivileged in the community.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Kentucky Super Lawyer 2013-Present
Other Sources of Feedback About Hon. Matthew J. Baker
Included on the 2026 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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Wake Forest University School of Law,
Winston Salem,
North Carolina, 1986
J.D.
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Wake Forest University School of Law,
Winston Salem,
North Carolina, 1986
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Non Legal Education
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University of Kentucky,
Lexington,
Kentucky
Major: English
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University of Kentucky,
Lexington,
Kentucky
Current Employment Position(s)
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Attorney
Past Positions
- Kentucky Court of Appeals, Judge, - 2003
- Cole, Moore & Baker, Partner, 1990 - 2002
- U.S. Marine Corps, Judge Advocate, 1987 - 1990
Languages
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English (Primary)
Classes and Seminars
- County Roads in Kentucky, Kentucky County Attorneys Association, February 21, 2007
Representative Clients
Baker v. Jones, Ky.App., 199 S.W.3d 749 (2006)
Bessinger v. Commonwealth, Ky.App., 451 S.W.3d 244 (2014)
Board of Educ. of Estill County, Kentucky v. Zurich Ins. Co., United States District court, E.D. Kentucky, 180 F.Supp.2d 890 (2002).
Boling v. Prospect Funding Holdings, LLC, United States District Court, W.D Kentucky, Bowling Green Division, 324 F.Supp.3d 887 (2018).
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities v. Atmos Energy Corp., Ky., 989 S.W.2d 577 (1999).
Carroll v. Carroll, Ky.App., 355 S.W.3d 463 (2011).
Cary v. Pulaski County Fiscal Court, Ky.App., 420 S.W.3d 500 (2013).
Cole v. Vincent by Seabolt, Ky.App., 588 S.W.3d 180 (2019).
Cooper v. Bruner, Ky.App., ---S.W.3d--- (2020), 2020 WL 4555519.
Danaher v. Hopkins, Ky.App., 449 S.W.3d 765 (2014).
Downey v. Kentucky Unemployment Insurance Commission, Ky.App., 479 S.W.3d 85 (2015).
Eades v. Clark Distributing Co., Inc., 70 F.3d 441 (6th Cir. 1995).
Farmland Mut. Ins. co. v. Johnson Ky., 36 S.W.3d 368 (2000).
G.D. Deal Holdings. Inc. v. Baker Energy, Inc. United States District Court, W.D. Kentucky, Bowling Green Division, 501 F.Supp.2d 914 (2007).
Guaranty Nat. Ins. Co. v. George, Ky., 953 S.W.2d 946 (1997).
Hardaway Management Co. v. Southerland, Ky., 977 S.W.2d 910 (1998).
Hill v. Petrotech Resources corp., Ky., 325 S.W.3d 302 (2010).
Keco v. Ayala, Ky.App., 592 S.W.3d 753 (2019).
LaF1eur v. Shoney's, Inc., Ky., 83 S.W.3d 474 (2002).
Nordike v. Nordike, Ky., 231 S.W.3d 733 (2007).
Richardson v. Dodson, Ky., 832 S.W.2d 888 (1992).
Southerland v. Hardaway Management Co., Inc., 41 F.3d 250 (6th Cir. 1994).
Travelers Indemnity Company v. Armstrong, Ky., 565 S.W.3d 550 (2018).
United States v. Boucher, 905 F.3d 479 (6th Cir. 2018).
United States v. Boucher, 937 F.3d 702 (6th Cir. 2019).
Wells v. City of Bowling Green, Ky.App., 344 S W.3d 141 (2011).
Western Kentucky Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc. v. Revenue Cabinet, Ky.App., 80 S.W.3d 787 (2001).
Bar Admissions
- Kentucky, 1986
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1991
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court Western District of Kentucky
- U. S. Court of Military Appeals, 1988
Other Affiliations
- Bowling Green-Warren County Bar Association, 1990 - Present
- Kentucky Bar Association, 1996 - Present
Reviews
Customer Reviews for Hon. Matthew J. Baker
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1 Review
Highlights
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0.5 Value
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0.5 Quality of Service
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0.5 Professional Competence
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Hired Attorney 2022-2025FORMAL COMPLAINT & PUBLIC NOTICE Re: Legal Malpractice and Obstruction of Justice To those looking to use Attorney Matthew Baker, On December 9, 2022, I traveled from out of state to meet with Attorney Baker to discuss legal representation for a civil lawsuit regarding tree piracy under the Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS 364.130). During our meeting, Attorney Baker assured me that my case was significant and that legal fees would ultimately be covered by the defendants. He required an initial payment of $5,000, which I provided via check. This check was cashed within three hours of our meeting. Since that initial meeting, more than two years have passed, and Attorney Baker has failed to take any meaningful legal action on my behalf. Despite my repeated attempts to communicate with him: • We have spoken for less than 28 minutes total regarding my case. • He has shown little to no interest in reviewing the substantial evidence I provided, including photographs and video footage of the theft occurring on my property. • Over 100 trees, valued at approximately $150,000, were unlawfully taken from my land, with 45 additional trees left to rot. • Not one court date has been scheduled or attended on my behalf. After realizing Attorney Baker had taken no action on my case, I filed formal complaints with both the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and the Kentucky Bar Association. Investigations from both entities found no record of any legal work conducted by Mr. Baker regarding my case. This strongly suggests that he engaged in professional misconduct, I have since retained a separate law firm to pursue an obstruction of justice claim against Attorney Baker. Additionally, I will be seeking the return of my $5,000 retainer, as well as punitive damages for the undue hardship caused by his negligence. I am actively reaching out to media organizations, legal consumer protection groups, and investigative journalists to expose this egregious misconduct. I strongly encourage anyone who has had a similar experience with Attorney Baker to come forward. This document serves as both a formal complaint and a public notice regarding the misconduct of Attorney Matthew Baker. I demand justice for the blatant mishandling of my case and seek to prevent others from falling victim to similar legal malpractice.
Contact
561 E Main Ave
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: (270) 746-2385
Fax: 270-746-9621
Email: Send a message
Hours: Weekdays 8 am-5 pm and by appointment
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