Debra H. Lambert

Debra Hembree Lambert (born 1961 or 1962) is an American lawyer who has served as the chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court since 2025; serving concurrently as a justice since 2019. She previously served as a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals from 2015 to 2018.

Education Lambert received her bachelor's degree from Eastern Kentucky University in 1983 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1989.

Career Lambert practiced law in Mount Vernon, Kentucky. During that time, she also served as an assistant commonwealth's attorney and city attorney for the City of Mount Vernon. She filed to run on February 1, 2018. She easily won the top-two primary in May 2018, with her and her nearest opponent Daniel Ballou advancing to the general election. On November 6, 2018, she received 66.63% of the vote to Ballou's 33.37%. She assumed office on January 7, 2019. On September 19, 2024, she was elected by her colleagues as the next chief justice. Her term began on January 6, 2025.

Electoral history 2000

2006

2014

2018