NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, today’s livestream of the Law Day celebration at the Capitol was interrupted. We are working to post a full recording of the event on the Kentucky Court of Justice YouTube channel. A link will be shared on our X, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts once the video is available. Thank you for your patience.
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Photo caption
Law students are sworn in as new attorneys during the 2024 Supreme Court Law Day ceremony at the Capitol. (Photo: Jim Hoffmann, Administrative Office of the Courts)
FRANKFORT, Ky., April 29, 2025 – The public and media are invited to the Supreme Court of Kentucky’s 35th annual Law Day celebration Thursday, May 1, in Frankfort. The event will take place at 10 a.m. EDT in the Capitol Rotunda on the main floor of the Capitol.
To watch online, tune into the event live or stream it later on the Kentucky Court of Justice YouTube channel at kcoj.info/KCOJYouTube and click “Live.” Join the celebration on social media by using the hashtags #LawDay2025 #StateCourts and #KyLaw.
The celebration will feature keynote speaker state auditor Allison Ball.
Law students who have passed the Kentucky Bar Exam will be sworn in as new attorneys. Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert will provide remarks and administer the constitutional oath to the incoming attorneys. Kentucky Bar Association President Rhonda Jennings Blackburn will introduce the new attorneys.
Chief Justice Lambert will present the Liberty Bell Award. The award recognizes individuals for performing outstanding community service, promoting better understanding of the rule of law, encouraging greater respect for the law and the courts, stimulating a sense of civic responsibility and contributing to good government in the community.
Previous recipients include Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, then-Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. (ret.) and other Supreme Court justices, Senate President Robert Stivers and then-president-elect William T. Robinson III of the American Bar Association.
The American Bar Association’s 2025 Law Day theme, “The Constitution’s Promises: Out of Many, One,” calls on Americans to celebrate the U.S. Constitution as a powerful force that unites us. It provides the foundation for a shared civic identity through core democratic practices like representative government, jury duty and the census.
National Law Day
Law Day is set aside to celebrate the rule of law in a free society. Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, Law Day is a day for Americans to celebrate their liberties and rededicate themselves to the ideals of equality and justice under the law in relation to each other and other nations. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed every May 1 as Law Day, U.S.A.
Law Day is celebrated annually across the country around May 1 to commemorate the role of law in our society and cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession.
Supreme Court of Kentucky
The Supreme Court of Kentucky is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. Seven justices sit on the court and all 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 operation. In addition, the Supreme Court establishes rules of practice and procedure for all Kentucky judges and attorneys.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort is the operations arm of the state court system. The AOC supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 412 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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