Caption for Photo:

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman 

FRANKFORT, Ky., April 22, 2024 – The Supreme Court of Kentucky’s 34th annual Law Day celebration will take place at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday in the House of Representatives Chamber on the third floor of the state Capitol in Frankfort. The event will be livestreamed for the public and media unable to attend.

The celebration will feature keynote speaker Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, with opening remarks by Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Laurance B. VanMeter. Forty law students who have passed the Kentucky Bar Exam will be sworn in as new attorneys.

Watch the event live or later on the Kentucky Court of Justice YouTube channel at kcoj.info/KCOJYouTube. Engage in the conversation about the celebration by using the hashtags #StateCourts, #LawDay and #VoicesOfDemocracy on social media.

Supreme Court Clerk Katie Bing will administer the constitutional oath to the incoming attorneys. Kentucky Bar Association President W. Fletcher Schrock will provide remarks and present the new attorneys.

The 2024 American Bar Association Law Day theme, “Voices of Democracy,” acknowledges that in democracies, the people rule. For nearly 250 years, Americans have expressed their political views and wishes by voting in elections. 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. The Supreme Court is hosting its Law Day event April 25 due to Kentucky Derby events on May 1.

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 413 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget.

Caption for Photo:

Law students are sworn in as new attorneys during the 2023 Supreme Court Law Day ceremony at the Capitol. (Photo: Jim Hoffmann, Administrative Office of the Courts) 

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