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Kentucky Rules of Evidence – 2026

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).

Browse all 79 rules of the 2026 edition below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.

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Article I. General Provisions Article II. Judicial Notice Article III. Presumptions in Civil Actions and Proceedings Article IV. Relevancy and Related Subjects Article V. Privileges Article VI. Witnesses Article VII. Opinions and Expert Testimony Article VIII. Hearsay Article IX. Authentication and Identification Article X. Contents of Writings, Recordings, and Photographs Article XI. Miscellaneous Rules

Article I. General Provisions

101 Scope 102 Purpose and construction 103 Rulings on evidence 104 Preliminary questions 105 Limited admissibility 106 Remainder of or related writings or recorded statements 107 Miscellaneous provisions

Article II. Judicial Notice

201 Judicial notice of adjudicative facts

Article III. Presumptions in Civil Actions and Proceedings

301 Presumptions in general in civil actions and proceedings 302 Applicability of federal law or the law of other states in civil actions and proceedings

Article IV. Relevancy and Related Subjects

401 Definition of “relevant evidence” 402 General rule of relevancy 403 Exclusion of relevant evidence on grounds of prejudice, confusion, or waste of time 403A [Renumbered as Rule 410A] 404 Character evidence and evidence of other crimes 405 Methods of proving character 406 Habit; routine practice 407 Subsequent remedial measures 408 Compromise and offers to compromise 409 Payment of medical and similar expenses 410 Inadmissibility of pleas, plea discussions, and related statements 410A Arrest or search warrant authorizing entry without notice 411 Liability insurance 412 Rape and similar cases; admissibility of victim's character and behavior

Article V. Privileges

501 General rule 502 [Number not yet utilized] 503 Lawyer-client privilege 504 Husband-wife privilege 505 Religious privilege 506 Counselor-client privilege 507 Psychotherapist-patient privilege 508 Identity of informer 509 Waiver of privilege by voluntary disclosure 510 Privileged matter disclosed under compulsion or without opportunity to claim privilege 511 Comment upon or inference from claim of privilege; instruction

Article VI. Witnesses

601 Competency 602 Lack of personal knowledge 603 Oath or affirmation 604 Interpreters 605 Competency of judge as witness 606 Competency of juror as witness 607 Who may impeach 608 Evidence of character and conduct of witness 609 Impeachment by evidence of conviction of crime 610 Religious beliefs or opinions 611 Mode and order of interrogation and presentation 612 Writing used to refresh memory 613 Prior statements of witnesses 614 Calling and interrogation of witnesses by court 615 Exclusion of witnesses

Article VII. Opinions and Expert Testimony

701 Opinion testimony by lay witnesses 702 Testimony by experts 703 Bases of opinion testimony by experts 704 [Number not yet utilized] 705 Disclosure of facts or data underlying expert opinion 706 Court-appointed experts

Article VIII. Hearsay

801 Definitions 801A Prior statements of witnesses and admissions 802 Hearsay rule 803 Hearsay exceptions: availability of declarant immaterial 804 Hearsay exceptions: declarant unavailable 804A Hearsay exceptions: testimony by child victim declarant not reasonably obtainable 805 Hearsay within hearsay 806 Attacking and supporting credibility of declarant

Article IX. Authentication and Identification

901 Requirement of authentication or identification 902 Self-authentication 903 Subscribing witness' testimony unnecessary

Article X. Contents of Writings, Recordings, and Photographs

1001 Definitions 1002 Requirement of original 1003 Admissibility of duplicates 1004 Admissibility of other evidence of contents 1005 Public records 1006 Summaries 1007 Testimony or written admission of party 1008 Functions of court and jury

Article XI. Miscellaneous Rules

1101 Applicability of rules 1102 Amendments 1103 Evidence Rules Review Commission 1104 Use of official commentary