Photo caption: Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert delivers the State of the Judiciary address to a legislative committee today in Frankfort. She emphasized the need for continued investment to sustain Kentucky’s unified court system. Photo by Daniel Frazier, Administrative Office of the Courts
FRANKFORT, Ky., Nov. 5, 2026 – Fifty-one years ago this week, Kentuckians voted to transform the state courts by creating a unified system that remains a model for the nation. Sustaining that system requires continued investment, Kentucky’s chief justice told lawmakers today.
Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert delivered the message during the annual State of the Judiciary address before the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary in Frankfort.
“The state of Kentucky’s judiciary is strong because of the men and women who serve it,” she said. “But sustaining that core strength requires us to confront real pressures on staffing, compensation, facilities and technology.”
In 1975, voters approved the Judicial Article as a constitutional amendment to create Kentucky’s modern, statewide court system, and it took effect weeks later in 1976. The General Assembly put the article before voters with the support of the courts and the Kentucky Citizens for Judicial Improvement, among others. Before then, more than 300 local courts had overlapping responsibilities and varying procedures. Unification was designed to provide fair and consistent administration of justice across Kentucky. Learn more at https://kcoj.info/KCOJ50th.
“But truly, Kentucky’s unified court system is an achievement we can all be proud of,” Chief Justice Lambert said. “Its structure and innovations are the envy of many states. And I’m grateful for the opportunity to show you what that 50-year-old investment means for the people of the commonwealth today.”
Holding court across the state
With the Supreme Court’s Capitol home closed for renovations, the justices have taken their “have gavel, will travel” tour across the commonwealth. Since summer 2025, they have heard oral arguments at law schools, universities and other venues, including the historic Paramount Theater in Ashland.
“Traveling outside Frankfort hasn’t been easy, but we have enjoyed being able to engage at planned events with the students who attend,” Chief Justice Lambert said. “We are especially pleased when we see high school and middle school students in the audience.”
Since late summer, Chief Justice Lambert has held listening sessions with judges and circuit court clerks across Kentucky. Discussions have focused on budget challenges and local court needs, including facilities, staffing and other operational concerns. Lambert said the sessions have provided valuable feedback and helped resolve issues both large and small.
Programs that help
The chief justice updated legislators on efforts involving truancy prevention, Specialty Courts and Pretrial Services.
Chief Justice Lambert said the Judicial Branch is selecting counties to participate in SOAR (Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration), a truancy prevention program established under Senate Bill 170. The Judicial Branch has been working with educators to develop a curriculum for judges to use in their local classrooms.
The effort has grown out of Chief Justice Lambert’s focus on truancy prevention, with her volunteering to provide a program in schools when she was a Family Court judge.
“It remains among the most rewarding work of my judicial career,” she said.
Connecting court-involved people with the right services is an important part of the Judicial Branch’s work with adults, helping eligible participants access treatment for mental health and substance use needs, the chief justice said.
Specialty Courts combine treatment with strong judicial oversight and serve more than 2,300 participants across Kentucky through Drug Court, Mental Health Court and Veterans Treatment Court. Nearly 75% of those who graduated in fiscal year 2023 had no new convictions three years after graduation.
Funding provided in 2024 helped expand access to Mental Health Court, and there are 17 counties with programs.
“The work of Specialty Courts is vital to improving public safety,” Chief Justice Lambert said.
Through the Behavioral Health Conditional Dismissal Program in Pretrial Services, eligible defendants can access treatment in 19 counties, with more than 2,700 participants since the program began in 2023. Of those who finished the program, about two-thirds successfully completed it.
The chief justice told the committee that the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health has developed two legislative recommendations for 2027. One would improve transportation options for people experiencing a mental health crisis. The other would allow children in out-of-home care who reach recommitment age to seek continued assistance from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services without a court order.
Budget
For the first time since 2010, the Judicial Branch court operations budget is structurally balanced, Chief Justice Lambert said. That means budgeted expenses can be covered by the General Assembly’s appropriation without relying on restricted fund carryforward.
Chief Justice Lambert told the committee that the Judicial Branch plans to request funding for salary improvements to help recruit and retain qualified employees when the General Assembly considers its next two-year budget during the 2028 legislative session. A 2025 compensation study by the National Center for State Courts found that 99% of the nonelected Judicial Branch positions studied were paid below market benchmarks. The chief justice also cited NCSC data showing that Kentucky’s circuit and district judges rank 49th nationally in compensation.
Kentucky courts occupy more than 5.4 million square feet of office space, more than any other branch in Kentucky, the chief justice said. Most of the space is in county-owned facilities. Under Kentucky’s state-county partnership, counties own the buildings while the Judicial Branch supports their construction, maintenance and operation. She thanked the legislators for authorizing a $47 million fund in 2024 to make critical repairs and replacements, including those to aging roofs, electrical systems and HVACs. More funding requests are to come as many major building systems are nearing the end of their lives, she said.
Chief Justice Lambert provided an update on construction and renovation projects in counties across the state and said the new Court of Appeals building in Frankfort is at the bidding stage.
The Judicial Branch will also request funds to replace aging security equipment in court facilities. Last November, the Supreme Court adopted Kentucky’s first statewide court security rules, establishing a common foundation for security across the state, she said.
The chief justice also shared that the Judicial Branch announced this week that it received a positive report from an independent auditor for its fiscal year 2026 financial statement. Learn more at https://kcoj.info/2026Audit.
Attorney discipline
The Supreme Court is poised to approve the most comprehensive attorney discipline reform in decades, to become effective July 1, 2027, the chief justice told legislators.
“Being mindful of recent high-profile stories of attorney theft and loss of client funds, the proposed rules facilitate quicker, more decisive action against attorneys accused of criminal behavior where client funds are at risk,” she said. “We have mandated greater transparency, both to the public and to the attorneys facing accusations. Processes have been streamlined, timelines have been tightened, and reporting and training requirements have been strengthened.”
The proposed rules would place the attorney discipline process under an Attorney Discipline Oversight Commission appointed by the Supreme Court. Disciplinary counsel would remain housed at the Kentucky Bar Association but report to the Supreme Court through the commission.
Court unification
Chief Justice Lambert concluded her nearly 30-minute address by thanking lawmakers for their continued support of Kentucky’s courts and reflecting on the lasting impact of the General Assembly’s decision to put court unification before voters more than 50 years ago.
“When Kentuckians voted to unify their courts in 1975, they could not have pictured every service or technology we’ve discussed today,” she said. “But the General Assembly gave the people the opportunity to choose a system that could serve the whole commonwealth. Court in Paducah could operate the same as court in Pineville. For 50 years, the Judicial Branch has built on that decision, finding new ways to meet the needs of the people who must turn to our courts.”
Recording of State of the Judiciary
For a recording of the meeting, visit KET’s online video archive at https://bit.ly/KETLegislatureArchive. (Recordings are typically posted within 24 hours of a meeting.)
Chief justice
The chief justice is responsible for overseeing the operations of Kentucky’s Judicial Branch and delivers the State of the Judiciary address each year. Chief Justice Lambert began serving as chief justice in January 2025 after being elected to the post for a four-year term by her colleagues. She was elected to the Supreme Court in 2018 from the 3rd Supreme Court District of Eastern Kentucky counties.
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