Kentucky Court Rules (2026)
We publish 11 Kentucky rule sets covering 1329 rules. Coverage includes the Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure, the Rules of Evidence, and the standalone Rules of Appellate Procedure that replaced CR 72 through 76 effective January 1, 2023 — so pre-2023 appellate citations are obsolete. The family and juvenile court rules are here, along with the Rules of the Supreme Court, published as the Rules of Professional Conduct at SCR 3.130, the bar admission and judicial conduct rules, attorney discipline, and the Administrative Procedures of the Court of Justice. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules.
Kentucky Court Rules & Rules of Practice
How this jurisdiction's courts and rules are organized, written for lawyers new to it: the court system, every ruleset a litigator touches, and how a case actually moves. Last verified September 24, 2026. For informational purposes only.
- Court System Overview
- The Ruleset Map
- Civil Litigation Mechanics
- Criminal Practice Mechanics
- Evidence
- Appellate Mechanics
- Rules of Professional Conduct
- Attorney Discipline & Enforcement
- Newcomer Orientation Notes
- Sources & Verification
Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure
The Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure, cited "CR" and numbered decimally so that each subdivision is separately cited — CR 12.02(f) is the failure-to-state-a-claim ground. Coverage runs from commencement and service, through pleadings and motions, parties, depositions and discovery, trial and judgment, to provisional and final remedies. Kentucky's summary-judgment standard is its own: Steelvest, Inc. v. Scansteel Service Center, 807 S.W.2d 476 (Ky. 1991) expressly declines to follow Celotex. CR 72 through 76 were deleted when the standalone Rules of Appellate Procedure took effect January 1, 2023.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseKentucky Rules of Criminal Procedure
The Kentucky Rules of Criminal Procedure, cited "RCr" and numbered decimally. Coverage runs from the commencement of proceedings and arrest, through initial appearance, preliminary hearing and bail, the indictment, arraignment and pleas, discovery under RCr 7.24, trial and judgment, to post-conviction relief under RCr 11.42. There is no rule-based speedy-trial clock: RCr 9.02 requires only that a trial be held "as promptly as reasonably possible", so the analysis is constitutional.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseRules of the Supreme Court of Kentucky
The Rules of the Supreme Court of Kentucky, an omnibus body promulgated under the Judicial Article. This set carries the parts other than admission, judicial conduct and the Rules of Professional Conduct, which are published separately here: policy and administration, the practice of law including attorney discipline under SCR 3 and the Kentucky Bar Association, trial commissioners of the district court, the judicial nominating commissions, mandatory continuing judicial education, and the monitoring of district court probationers.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseAdministrative Procedures of the Court of Justice
The Administrative Procedures of the Court of Justice, cited by part and section, governing the administration of the Kentucky Court of Justice rather than practice before it: the transfer of dockets, court records and their retention, jury selection and management, pretrial release, drug court operations, technology and court facilities.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseKentucky Rules of Professional Conduct
The Kentucky Rules of Professional Conduct, which live inside the Rules of the Supreme Court at SCR 3.130 and are cited with the Model Rule number nested — "SCR 3.130(3.3)". Coverage runs from the client-lawyer relationship, through the lawyer as counselor and advocate, dealings with persons other than clients, law firms and associations, public service, information about legal services, and maintaining the integrity of the profession. Conduct before September 1, 2005 is judged under the former Code of Professional Responsibility.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseKentucky Rules of Appellate Procedure
The Kentucky Rules of Appellate Procedure, a standalone set effective January 1, 2023 that replaced the former CR 72 through 76 and reset appellate practice in the Commonwealth. A notice of appeal and the statutory docket fee are both jurisdictional and due within 30 days from the date of notation of service. Coverage includes appeals as of right, cross-appeals, the record and briefs, motions for relief from injunction rulings under RAP 20, discretionary review under RAP 44 and original proceedings under RAP 60.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseKentucky Rules of Evidence
The Kentucky Rules of Evidence, effective July 1, 1992 and modeled on the Federal Rules, cited "KRE 403". Coverage runs across the eleven federal-parallel articles from general provisions and judicial notice, through relevance, privileges, witnesses, opinion and expert testimony, hearsay and authentication. Amendments move through a joint process: the Supreme Court prescribes them and they take effect only after report to the General Assembly. Daubert applies, adopted in Mitchell v. Commonwealth, 908 S.W.2d 100 (Ky. 1995).
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseRules of the Supreme Court: Admission to Practice Law
Part II of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Kentucky, governing admission to the practice of law: the Office of Bar Admissions and the Character and Fitness Committee, the bar examination, admission without examination, admission of foreign legal consultants, and limited certifications including pro hac vice admission under SCR 3.030(2), which requires Kentucky co-counsel whose presence is necessary at all trials.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseFamily Court Rules of Procedure and Practice
The Family Court Rules of Procedure and Practice, cited "FCRPP", governing Kentucky's family court divisions, which hold primary family jurisdiction where established. Their scope expressly extends to dependency, neglect and abuse actions, and Part VII is devoted to them. Coverage runs from preliminary matters and obtaining decrees and judgments through custody, support and domestic-violence practice, with standardized statewide forms.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseRules of the Supreme Court: Judicial Conduct Commission
Part IV of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Kentucky, establishing the Judicial Conduct Commission and the procedure for complaints of judicial misconduct or disability — the Commission's composition and authority, the conduct of informal and formal proceedings, the sanctions available, and review by the Supreme Court.
Updated 2026 Edition
BrowseJuvenile Court Rules of Procedure and Practice
The Juvenile Court Rules of Procedure and Practice, cited "JCRPP", adopted by Order 2019-15 effective February 1, 2020. They govern status, public-offender and youthful-offender cases under KRS chapters 630, 635 and 640 in the family and district courts, alongside the statutory Unified Juvenile Code.
Updated 2026 Edition
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