For the first time in its 233-year history, the Kentucky Supreme Court will be led by a female chief justice. On Sept. 23, 2024, Deputy Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert was elected as the next chief justice of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Debra Hembree Lambert was initially elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court in November 2018, serving the 3rd Supreme Court District. Lambert’s four-year-term as the chief justice will begin on Jan. 6, 2025.
Justice Lambert is a native of Bell County and earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University. She went on to graduate from the University of Kentucky of Law in 1982 and practiced law in Mount Vernon, serving as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney and city attorney. In 2007, Lambert then resumed her private practice of law in Mount Vernon until she was elected to the Court of Appeals in 2014.
Lambert has served in various capacities as a judge or justice for 17 years working as a family court circuit judge, court of appeals justice and with the Supreme Court. Additionally, she is the head of the Kentucky Judicial Commision on Mental Health. Justice Lambert also volunteers as a certified suicide prevention trainer.
Previously, she served with the court of appeals for four years and was circuit judge of the family court division of the 28th Judicial Circuit. She was appointed to the seat in 1999 by Gov. Paul E. Patton.
In a comment following the announcement, current chief justice of the Commonwealth Laurance B. VanMeter stated, “I am confident that Chief Justice-elect Lambert will lead the Judicial Branch with integrity and ensure the efficient and fair administration of justice for this great commonwealth.”
Chief Justice-elect Lambert also stated that she is “both humbled and honored to have been elected by my colleagues to serve as Chief Justice for the next four years. I know it is certainly no small task to lead the Judicial Branch of government. Our judges, clerks and administrative employees handle large dockets and special programs with great efficiency. While it may be notable that I will be the first woman to serve as Chief Justice in Kentucky, I am most proud to be a small-town kid from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky who has had a lot of support and encouragement along the way.”
