FRANKFORT, Ky., Nov. 7, 2024 – Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Laurance B. VanMeter used his final State of the Judiciary address to discuss momentous changes for the Judicial Branch in leadership, technology and access to justice.
Chief Justice VanMeter, who will retire from the bench Jan. 5, spoke before the Kentucky General Assembly’s Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary today at the Capitol Annex in Frankfort. His complete address can be found at https://kcoj.info/fullSOJ2024. Watch a recording of the meeting on KET’S online video archive at https://kcoj.info/KETSOJ2024.
The speech “comes at a time of great transition for our court system,” Chief Justice VanMeter told the committee. “In the coming years, the Judicial Branch will undergo significant changes with the goal of modernizing our court processes and improving access to justice for Kentucky citizens.
“Transitions in leadership, technology and policy can bring challenges, but they also provide opportunities for us to strengthen our commitment to justice. With thoughtful planning and collaboration, we are ready to embrace this moment of transformation and ensure that Kentucky’s courts continue to serve the people with integrity.”
Leadership Transitions
Chief Justice VanMeter introduced Deputy Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert as the next chief justice of the commonwealth. When she takes office Jan. 6, she will be Kentucky’s first woman to serve as chief justice.
“Chief Justice Lambert is a dedicated and hard-working member of the judiciary with over 17 years of experience on the bench, having served as a Family Court judge, a Court of Appeals judge and a Supreme Court justice,” he said. “She is well respected for her leadership as deputy chief justice and chair of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. Her career is a testament to her commitment to justice.”
Deputy Chief Justice Lambert has already started the work of leading the operational arm of the Judicial Branch. Chief Justice VanMeter announced during the speech that she has selected Zach Ramsey as the next director of the Administrative Office of the Courts.
“The role of the AOC director is integral to the judicial system’s daily operations,” Chief Justice VanMeter said. “The director oversees the branch’s budget, nearly 3,300 employees throughout the state who execute the Judicial Branch’s programs, and the support services the AOC provides to Kentucky’s 412 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. I am confident that Chief Justice-elect Lambert has chosen the right person to take on this important role.”
Court Technology
Chief Justice VanMeter said that the Kentucky Court of Justice is taking steps to adapt and thrive in the digital age by implementing a new trial court case management system.
“In 2022, the legislature gave the Judicial Branch a once-in-a-generation opportunity by allocating $38 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to update its two-decade-old, in-house CMS,” he said.
The new CMS will run on a secure, cloud-based platform, offering stronger protection for sensitive data and greater accessibility to software upgrades. The change also heralds Kentucky’s next evolution of eFiling. With the new system, Kentucky will be poised to continue its transition to an all-electronic court record.
Given the challenges of attracting, retaining and compensating technical talent to maintain a legacy system, the court system went with a vendor-provided solution with Tyler Technologies.
“By selecting the cloud, we are investing in a more secure, scalable and future-proof solution that will serve Kentucky for many years to come,” Chief Justice VanMeter said.
Other topics
Chief Justice VanMeter highlighted the need to improve juror compensation and probate processes. He also discussed significant progress being made on mental health initiatives.
Following Chief Justice VanMeter’s address, leadership from the AOC Department of Pretrial Services presented an update on the implementation of the Behavioral Health Conditional Dismissal Program provided under Senate Bill 90, which the Kentucky General Assembly passed in its 2022 Regular Session. The AOC is advancing one of the legislation’s primary goals – addressing behavioral health needs at critical points in the justice system.
About Chief Justice VanMeter
Chief Justice VanMeter has served as a Supreme Court justice since 2016 and took office as chief justice in January 2023 after his colleagues elected him to the position. He has served on the bench for 30 years and at all four levels of the Kentucky court system.
About the Supreme Court of Kentucky
The Supreme Court of Kentucky is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. The Supreme Court establishes rules of practice and procedure for all Kentucky judges and attorneys. Seven justices sit on the court and all seven rule on appeals before the court. The justices are elected from seven Supreme Court districts and serve eight-year terms. A chief justice, chosen for a four-year term by his or her fellow justices, is the administrative head of the state court system and is responsible for overseeing its operations. The chief justice presents the State of the Judiciary each year.
About the Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm for the state court system. In addition to supporting the activities of employees and elected officials, the AOC is the fiscal agent and executes the Judicial Branch budget.