Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Kentucky: The Basics

Bankruptcy is primarily governed under federal law, specifically Title 11 of the U.S. Code. Most individuals who file bankruptcy do so under Chapter 7, which is a liquidation bankruptcy, rather than filing under Chapter 13 for a reorganization.

Though bankruptcies are heard in federal bankruptcy court, there are still some state laws that apply, specifically those governing bankruptcy exemptions. A bankruptcy trustee may sell the filer’s non-exempt property to pay debts, but cannot touch property that is legally non-exempt.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Code provides a list of exemptions that are safe from the bankruptcy trustee, but each state can establish their own alternative list of exemptions. In Kentucky, you have a choice regarding which set of exemptions to use.

Cost to file chapter 7 in Kentucky

The chapter 7 filing fees in Kentucky are $338, but that doesn’t tell the whole story of the real cost to file bankruptcy. Bankruptcy lawyers usually charge between $1,000 and $2,000 to file a chapter 7 case, in addition to the filing fee.

Kentucky Bankruptcy Court Locations

There are two districts of the United States Bankruptcy Court in Kentucky, Eastern and Western. We’ll list the locations of the courthouses and contact information for each below.

Eastern District

The telephone number for the clerk’s office for all divisions in the Eastern District is 859-233-2608.

Ashland: US District Courtroom, Carl Perkins Federal Building, 1405 Greenup Ave., Suite 204, Ashland, KY 41101

Covington: US Bankruptcy Courtroom, 35 W. Fifth St., #306, Covington, KY 41011

Frankfort: Franklin County Courthouse, Grand Jury Room,  222 St. Clair, Frankfort, KY 40601

Note: 341 meetings and initial confirmation hearings for this division are held in Frankfort. Other hearings are held in Lexington.

Lexington: US Bankruptcy Court EDKY, 100 E. Vine St., #200, Lexington, KY 40507

London: US District Courtroom C (3rd Floor), 310 S. Main St., London KY 40741

Note: 341 meetings and initial confirmation hearings for this division are held in Corbin. Other hearings are held in London.

Pikeville: US District Courthouse, 110 Main St., Room 201, Pikeville, KY 41501

Western District

Bowling Green: Federal Courthouse, 241 E. Main Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101, Phone: (270) 393-2500

Louisville: Gene Snyder Federal Courthouse, 601 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202, Phone: (502) 625-3500

Owensboro: United States Courthouse, 423 Frederica St., Owensboro, KY 42301, Phone: (270) 689-4400

Paducah: United States Courthouse, 501 Broadway, Paducah, KY 42001, Phone: (270) 415-6400

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