Filing Without an Attorney – Civil Cases Only
Pro Se Litigants
The information on this site provides information to individuals who are representing themselves in the Western District of Kentucky without the assistance of an attorney. This website is intended as an informative and practical resource for these litigants and is not a substitute for legal advice from an experienced attorney. The information is procedural in nature and should be read in conjunction with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules of this Court.
When you are without an attorney, you are proceeding "pro se." If you represent yourself in Court, you are called a "pro se litigant" or a "self-represented litigant." "Pro se" is a Latin term, meaning "on one's own behalf “and a "litigant" is someone who is either suing someone or is being sued in court.
The right to appear pro se in a civil case in federal court is contained in a statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1654. Thus, anyone can appear pro se, and anyone who appears before the Court without an attorney is considered pro se. There are, however, certain limitations to self-representation, such as:
- a pro se party cannot represent others
- corporations and partnerships must be represented by an attorney.
- a pro se litigant may not represent a class in a class action.
- a non-attorney parent may not appear pro se on behalf of a child, except to appeal the denial of the child's social security benefits.
Computer terminals are available for use by pro se litigants in the Clerk’s Office in all four locations. The Clerk’s Office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.
If you need help finding a lawyer, you may want to contact the Kentucky Lawyer Referral Service at (502) 583-1801 or the Central Kentucky Lawyer Referral Service at (859) 225-8644 or the Northern Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services at (859) 781-1525 or the Legal Aid Society at (502) 584-1254. The Court does not endorse the services of any attorney or legal services organization.
Be advised that the Clerk and his employees are forbidden by law from giving you legal advice. Legal advice could be described but is not limited to: offering interpretation of rules; recommending a course of action; predicting a judicial officer's decision and interpreting the meaning or effect of any court order or judgment.
Electronic Document Submission System
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky maintains an Electronic Document Submission System that may be used by self-represented litigants who wish to file documents electronically as an alternative to mailing or bringing those documents to a courthouse. Documents submitted by way of this system will be processed within one (1) business day of receipt.
The use of the Electronic Document Submission System is governed by General Order 25-02.
Access the Electronic Document Submission System
May Receive Email Notice of and Electronic Access to Documents Filed in Your Case
If you are representing yourself in a case pending before this Court and are not presently incarcerated, you are eligible to receive notification by e-mail when documents are filed in your case. This service is free of charge and provides you with access to your documents as soon as they are filed. For more information read the Clerk’s Notice regarding this process. If you wish to receive email notice, read and complete our registration form.