Kentucky Supreme Court names Debra Lambert as first woman chief justice

FRANKFORT, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — Kentucky’s Supreme Court Justices have elected to seat the first female Chief Justice in Kentucky’s history.

Chief Justice-elect Debra Hembree Lambert was elected by her fellow Supreme Court Justices on Thursday and will take office in January.

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“I am both humbled and honored to have been elected by my colleagues to serve as the 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,” Lambert said in a news release.

Lambert was elected as a justice of the Supreme Court in November 2018 from the 3rd Supreme Court District, which is made up of 25 counties.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

• 7 Kentucky schools among 2024 National Blue Ribbon award winners
• 2024 guide to fall fun in central Kentucky: Festivals, pumpkins, haunted houses
• Kentucky among the worst states to have a baby: Forbes

She is a native of Bell County and earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University before graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1989.

She leads the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health , working to address mental health needs, substance use disorder, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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