United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
About This Court
Located in the Sixth Circuit, the Western District of Kentucky covers the western portion of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, including Louisville, the state's largest city. The district spans a geographically diverse area that includes urban centers, rural counties, and the western coalfields region, stretching from the Ohio River border in the north to the Tennessee border in the south.
Louisville serves as the primary seat of the court and is the commercial and population hub of the district. Other significant cities within the district include Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Paducah. The district handles a broad range of civil and criminal matters arising from this varied geographic and economic landscape.
As a district court within the Sixth Circuit, appeals from the Western District of Kentucky are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Kentucky. Appeals go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Divisions
Louisville Division (Louisville), Bowling Green Division (Bowling Green), Owensboro Division (Owensboro), Paducah Division (Paducah)
Caseload
The Western District of Kentucky handles a substantial volume of civil litigation including products liability, civil rights, and commercial disputes, as well as federal criminal matters involving drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The Louisville division accounts for a significant share of the district's overall docket given the city's population and commercial activity.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, which generally requires membership in good standing with the Kentucky Bar Association or another state bar and compliance with the court's local rules governing admission.
Clerk's Office
601 West Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 625-3500
Active Judges 6
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Beaton | Donald J. Trump | 2020 | Columbia Law School |
| David Hale | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Kentucky College of Law |
| Rebecca Jennings | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | American University, Washington College of Law |
| Joseph McKinley | William J. Clinton | 1995 | University of Louisville School of Law (now Louis D. Brandeis School of Law) |
| Charles Simpson | Ronald Reagan | 1986 | University of Louisville School of Law (now Louis D. Brandeis School of Law) |
| Gregory Stivers | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Kentucky College of Law |
Local Rules
The Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, which supplement the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.