Kentucky chief justice ‘deeply disappointed’ in judicial branch budget

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky General Assembly passed a judicial branch budget Wednesday that the chief justice said will force “significant layoffs.”

The Kentucky Court of Justice is reviewing the final budget “to assess its impact on court operations,” Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert said in a statement Wednesday night.

“We know we will have significant layoffs but will focus now internally on taking care of our people and the citizens we serve with as much care and dignity as possible. We are deeply disappointed but understand that it was the will of the legislature to make these decisions.”

Lambert last week warned that the budget that emerged from the Senate severely underfunded court operations, leaving no choice but to shutter services not constitutionally required, such as drug, mental health and veterans treatment courts. 

The final budget approved Wednesday came out of a House-Senate conference committee.

The judicial branch budget appropriates $693 million for the next two years for court operations. 

Initially, the House proposed about $657 million a year, later upping it to $687 million for each of the two fiscal years. The Senate proposed nearly $693 million for each fiscal year. 

KY chief justice warns drug, mental health courts would be wiped out by budget proposals

A Wednesday analysis by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy said that despite “small” increases in funding in this version, the judicial branch “continues to be cut by approximately 7% under the agreement.”

House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, told reporters Wednesday night that he didn’t foresee a need to close any services given the judicial budget as a whole and that judicial sources he’d spoken with feel “it’s actually a really good budget for them.” 

“I don’t think you can call it a cut,” said Osborne. “We also funded additional judges raises, funded personnel raises for clerk staff.” 

The General Assembly will break on Thursday, returning to the capitol on April 14.

During the break, Gov. Andy Beshear can make line-item vetoes to budget bills  but lawmakers have the ability to override his vetoes when they return for the last two days of the 2026 legislative session. 

This story may be updated.