Nick Houck granted change of venue in perjury case, trial location set

Nicholas “Nick” Houck, a former Bardstown Police officer, has been granted a change of venue in his perjury case, according to WAVE. The ruling shifts where the case will be heard, with the trial location determined as part of the court’s decision, the outlet reported on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

The case centers on Houck’s alleged conduct that prosecutors say amounts to perjury. WAVE’s report framed the venue change as a step taken by the court to address concerns raised during pretrial proceedings about where a fair jury can be seated for a trial that has attracted public attention in the Bardstown area.

A change of venue is designed to reduce the risk that potential jurors have been exposed to information about a defendant from outside the courtroom, and to protect due process for the parties. In this case, the judge’s order means the trial will not be held in the original location in which the case was pending, and instead will proceed in the court location the judge selected.

For Houck, the decision affects the timeline and logistics of trial preparation, including where evidence will be presented, where potential jurors will be summoned from, and how witnesses will travel. For the prosecution, the change requires recalibration of trial planning around the new venue, including juror recruitment procedures and courtroom arrangements.

WAVE reported that the trial venue has now been set following the court’s decision. The next procedural steps will depend on the new court’s scheduling and pretrial motions, including any remaining issues raised by either side before trial begins.

As the case moves forward under the revised venue order, the public process of jury selection and trial proceedings will continue under Kentucky court rules. The venue shift does not resolve the underlying factual disputes in the perjury allegations, but it determines the forum in which those disputes will be tested before a jury.

The court’s decision underscores that, even after an indictment and pretrial litigation, questions about juror impartiality and the location of proceedings can remain central. With the venue set, attention will turn to scheduling in the selected court and to whether additional pretrial rulings follow before trial starts.