By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Fifty years after Kentucky unified its court system, the Kentucky Court of Justice will mark its Aug. 11 anniversary with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new building that will serve as the headquarters for the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
The public is invited to the 10 a.m. (ET) groundbreaking ceremony at the Administrative Office of the Courts, 1001 Vandalay Drive in Frankfort, and to the 50th anniversary commemoration that will follow. Visitors are welcome to attend both events.
The 50th anniversary commemoration will include an historical exhibit of photographs, artifacts and video tracing the judiciary’s evolution since Kentucky voters approved the Judicial Article in 1975. The state constitutional amendment, which took effect Jan. 1, 1976, unified Kentucky’s courts under a single statewide judicial system.
A picnic-style lunch will be available with hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian bratwurst and sides.
The anniversary recognizes five decades of progress in providing a more accessible, efficient and consistent system of justice for Kentuckians. The unified court system includes the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court and District Court.
Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert, Gov. Andy Beshear and Court of Appeals Chief Judge Larry E. Thompson will be among the speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony. Other state and local officials are expected to attend.
The one-story, 20,500-square-foot Court of Appeals facility will house administrative offices for the Court of Appeals clerk, staff attorneys and other staff. It will include courtrooms, judges’ offices, conference space and other areas supporting the work of Kentucky’s intermediate appellate court.
The facility will incorporate updated data, computer, video and networking technology. It also will provide enhanced court security through a single public entrance equipped with a magnetometer and staffed by security personnel.
The Kentucky General Assembly authorized the $14.1 million project in 2024.
“This new building represents an investment in the future of Kentucky’s Court of Appeals,” Chief Judge Thompson said. “It will provide a modern, secure and efficient environment for judges, staff, attorneys and the public while supporting the court’s continued commitment to serving the people of the Commonwealth.”
Until moving to the new facility, the Court of Appeals is housed at 669 Chamberlin Ave. in Frankfort, where it moved in 2023 after vacating its leased central offices on Democrat Drive.