 Claiming the General Assembly 's decision was invalid , Taylor sued to prevent Beckham from exercising the authority of the governor 's office . Beckham countersued Taylor for possession of the state capitol and governor 's mansion . The suits were consolidated and heard in Jefferson County circuit court , which claimed it had no authority to interfere with the method of deciding contested elections prescribed by the state constitution , an outcome that favored Beckham . The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the circuit court 's decision on appeal and rejected Taylor 's claim that he had been deprived of property without due process by stating that an elective office was not property and thus not protected by the Fourteenth Amendment . 
