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The planned Court of Appeals building to be constructed near the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort. (Architectural rendering provided by Brandstetter Carroll architectural firm)
News release
FRANKFORT, Ky., Aug. 3, 2026 – Fifty years after Kentucky unified its courts in a reform that helped shape the modern state court system, the Kentucky Court of Justice will commemorate the anniversary Aug. 11, which will include the groundbreaking ceremony for a new building to serve as the headquarters for the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
The public is invited to the 10 a.m. EDT 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 either event or both.
The 50th anniversary commemoration will include a 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.
Chief Justice of the Commonwealth 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. Brandstetter Carroll architectural firm in Lexington designed the facility. A general contractor will be selected through a competitive bidding process this fall, with construction scheduled for completion in 2028.
“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.
To learn more online about the history and unification of Kentucky’s court system, visit the 50th commemoration webpage at https://kcoj.info/KCOJ50th. For more information about Court of Appeals history and judges, visit https://kcoj.info/CourtofAppealsHistory.
Court of Appeals
Nearly all cases heard by the Kentucky Court of Appeals come to it on appeal from a lower court. If a case is tried in Circuit Court or District Court and the losing parties involved are not satisfied with the outcome, they may ask for a higher court to review the correctness of the trial court’s decision. Some cases, such as criminal case acquittals and divorces, may not be appealed. In a divorce case, however, child custody and property rights decisions may be appealed. Cases are not retried in the Court of Appeals. Only the record of the original court trial is reviewed, with attorneys presenting the legal issues to the court for a decision.
Fourteen judges, two elected from seven appellate court districts, serve on the Court of Appeals. The judges are divided into panels of three to review and decide cases, with the majority determining the decision. The panels do not sit permanently in one location but travel throughout the state to hear cases.
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