FRANKFORT, Ky., April 21, 2022 – As of July 1, attorneys will be required to file foreclosure and credit card debt collection cases electronically in Kentucky courts. The Supreme Court of Kentucky issued Administrative Order 2022-22 on Wednesday to make eFiling mandatory for these cases.
The two case types will be the first to be mandatory for electronic filing since the Judicial Branch made civil case eFiling available statewide in 2015. Most foreclosure and credit card debt collection cases handled by attorneys are being eFiled.
“It makes sense now that the majority of foreclosure and credit card debt cases are being eFiled that we make them 100 percent electronic filings,” Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. said. “We have been diligently moving toward a paperless court system and I’m pleased that so many attorneys have adopted eFiling voluntarily. I look forward to seeing everyone get on board.”
In foreclosures, 83% of cases were filed electronically in 2021 and 89% percent so far this year. Of credit card debt collection cases, 73% in Circuit Court and 86% in District Court were filed electronically in 2021 and 68% and 81% in 2022, respectively.
The cover sheet attorneys use to file civil cases will be updated to reflect that foreclosure and credit card debt collection cases are to be filed through eFiling.
To use eFiling, attorneys must set up a KYeCourts account and complete training. To get started, visit https://ehelp.kycourts.net/. Under Attorneys & Legal Staff, click How Do I Get Certified to eFile? Register for virtual training with an instructor or online training. The Judicial Branch will offer the virtual training sessions via Zoom on June 2 and 20 and July 14 from 10 a.m.-noon ET. To go directly to registration for this training, visit https://bit.ly/3uy1jf0. Attorneys will be certified to eFile after successfully completing either type of training and will earn two credit hours of continuing legal education.
Attorneys can discuss eFiling with a Judicial Branch representative at the eCourts booth at the Kentucky Bar Association Annual Convention in June.
Background
Investing in court technology became one of Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton’s main goals when he became chief justice in 2008. Kentucky was operating as a paper court system and was years away from joining the federal courts and other state courts in offering electronic filing.
Today, eFiling is at the heart of KYeCourts, the court system’s sweeping, multiyear initiative to update court technology and transform how the judicial, legal and law enforcement communities do business. The aim of KYeCourts is to update Kentucky’s court technology to meet the demands on the court system and enable the courts to stay current with the mainstream of law and commerce.
Efilings are received by Offices of Circuit Court Clerk, which maintain records for Circuit Court and District Court and operate in every Kentucky county.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and 406 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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