FRANKFORT, KY. Oct. 29, 2026 – Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert will deliver her annual State of the Judiciary address at 11 a.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 5, before the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary. The meeting is open to the public and will take place in Room 149 of the Capitol Annex in Frankfort.
The State of the Judiciary address is an annual tradition that allows the chief justice to report on the status of Kentucky’s court system and highlight the judiciary’s work in serving the people of the commonwealth.
This year’s address coincides with the 50th anniversary of Kentucky’s unified court system. In 1974, the General Assembly voted to place a landmark constitutional amendment before voters, who approved it Nov. 4, 1975. The reforms took effect beginning Jan. 1, 1976, transforming a collection of more than 300 local courts into a unified, statewide judicial system.
The public can also watch the address via livestream at https://bit.ly/KETLegislature or view the archived meeting at https://bit.ly/KETLegislatureArchive. The recording is usually available within 24 hours.
Chief Justice Lambert began her four-year term in January 2025, becoming the first woman to serve as Kentucky’s chief justice. As the administrative head of the court system, she oversees the operations of Kentucky’s judicial branch.
