Bench & Bar May/June 2025

audience that the chief justice is personally fun-loving and free-spirited with great taste in music. Chief Justice Lambert’s fellow justices elected her for a four-year term as chief jus tice that started in January. (The investiture was postponed until April due to winter weather.) The chief justice is the adminis trative head of the Judicial Branch and is responsible for its operation. Justice Shea Nickell said, “History will for ever remember your ascendency from the dark hollers and deep coal mines of Eastern Kentucky to the high bench of Kentucky’s Supreme Court and now as the first female as that appellate tribunal’s chief justice. Your life has been a happy celebration of your rich Eastern Kentucky roots and through your impressive accomplishments, you have honored the many sacrifices and hardships of that region’s people. The proud region shaped you into the person you have become and enabled you to reach beyond the boundaries of those hills and hollers to share your gifts and blessings by seeking greater justice for all peoples of this great commonwealth.” Chief Justice Lambert is an imposing, dis tinguished, knowledgeable and friendly colleague, Justice Nickell said. “Given her broad skills, qualities and per sonal character, I was not surprised when she ascended to her new role as chief justice of our judicial tribunal,” he said.

Chief Justice Lambert looks at her remarks after taking the bench as chief justice of the commonwealth April 15 in the Supreme Court Courtroom at the Capitol. She is the first woman chief justice in Kentucky and is leading the first female-majority court. Photo by Mark Cornelison The Supreme Court is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Ken tucky law. Seven justices sit on the Supreme Court and all seven justices rule on appeals that come before the court. The justices are elected from seven appellate districts and serve eight-year terms. A chief jus tice, chosen for a four-year term by fellow justices, is the administrative head of the state’s court system and is responsible for its operation. The Supreme Court may order a ruling or opinion to be published, which means that the ruling becomes the case law governing all similar cases in the future in Kentucky. Justice Angela McCormick Bisig said, “She’s been leading our court for the past four months. She brings a graciousness to our oral arguments. She has a great patience in the conference room for vibrant discussion and debate. I’m grateful to her today for ser vice and leadership in our commonwealth and look forward to continuing to work together.” CHIEF JUSTICE LAMBERT Chief Justice Lambert is the justice from the 25 counties of the 3 rd Supreme Court District. She was elected as a justice in November 2018 and was the first chair of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health, a groundbreaking commis sion that focuses on improving the judicial response to cases involving mental health, substance use and intellectual disabilities. Justice Lambert was the first woman from the 3 rd Supreme Court District to serve on the Supreme Court and the first from the 3 rd Appellate District (same counties as 3 rd Supreme District) to serve on the Court of Appeals, where she was a judge for four years before being elected to the Supreme Court. She is also the first justice to have served as a Family Court judge. SUPREME COURT OF KENTUCKY

Stivers discussed the chief justice’s admin istrative responsibility as head of the court system and said he wished the new chief justice “wisdom, courage and Godspeed.” Osborne said, “Chief Lambert’s remark able career reflects a deep commitment to Kentucky values,” and “I look forward to the wisdom and the leadership that Chief Lambert will bring to our judiciary.” Lay, a longtime friend and colleague of Chief Justice Lambert, said she was of good character and had integrity and indepen dence. He made the motion for the Supreme Court to swear Chief Justice Lambert in. “I do believe that you will be an effective justice of the Supreme Court,” he said. “I believe you will serve with authority – not the type of authority that is derived from a title but the type of authority that is earned, and I believe that you will do it with grace and with elegance,” he said, telling the Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert (right) takes the oath of office from her predecessor, Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter, at her investiture April 15 in the Supreme Court Courtroom at the Capitol. Her son, John Lambert, holds the Bible. She is joined by stepdaughters (left to right) Chelsea Woolums and Jes sica Guffey, who hold her judicial robe, and husband Joe Sharpe (center) and daughter-in-law Taylor Lambert (far right). Photo by Mark Cornelison

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