 Scott previously served as a trial attorney from 1975 to 1980, as an assistant commonwealth's attorney for Pike County from 1981 to 1982 and as a Kentucky Circuit Court judge from 1984 to 1988.Scott was the Republican Party nominee for Kentucky's 7th congressional district in 1988 and 1990, losing to Democratic incumbent Carl C. Perkins on both occasions.He was also the Republican nominee for Attorney General of Kentucky in 1995, losing to Democrat Ben Chandler.