This site is designed to provide information to people who are representing themselves in civil cases in Kentucky. It provides information and useful documents but it should not be substituted for legal advice from an experienced attorney. The Kentucky Supreme Court recommends against proceeding in court without the representation of an attorney. If you can hire an attorney to represent you, you are strongly encouraged to do so.
Before deciding whether or not to represent yourself, you should know what will be expected of you. Remember that the following information applies to civil cases. If you have been charged with a criminal offense, the court can appoint an attorney for you if you cannot afford to hire one.
A self-represented litigant is a person or party who advocates on his or her own behalf before a court rather than being represented by an attorney. These litigants are also known as pro se or pro persona litigants. Pro se is a Latin phrase meaning “for oneself.”
You have the right to represent yourself in court. It is important that you determine whether or not this is a good choice for you given your situation and understanding of the risks and responsibilities involved. The following questions are designed to help you decide if representing yourself is in your best interest.
As a self-represented litigant, you will be responsible for following the same rules and procedures an attorney would be held to follow so it’s imperative that you familiarize yourself with the Kentucky Revised Statutes and Court Rules.
You can either file conventionally at your local clerk’s office or electronically file your case. To file electronically, you will be required to create a user account on KYeCourts, the Kentucky Court of Justice’s online filing system. At this time, self-represented litigants are only able to electronically file small claims cases.
To create your account, click the link for first time users.
On the next screen, choose Self-Represented Litigant (SRL) from the account type drop-down menu.
Enter your email address.
You will receive a notification to check your email. Follow the hyperlink provided to complete your account registration.
