WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors.

Legal Information: Kentucky

Restraining Orders

View all
Laws current as of December 10, 2025

Step 4 - Service of process

If you are given a court date, law enforcement will serve the abuser (respondent) with:

  • the summons;
  • the hearing order; and
  • your EPO, if you got one.1

After the judge issues the order(s), the court clerk will arrange to get your papers served. It’s important that you provide accurate, up-to-date information about where the abuser lives and works so officers will know where to find him/her. The abuser must be notified about the hearing before the judge can consider granting the final DVO. If s/he does not receive notice, the hearing will be rescheduled.

For sheriff department contact information, go to our Kentucky Sheriff Departments page.

You can find more information about service of process in our Preparing for Court – By Yourself section, in the question called What is service of process and how do I accomplish it?

1 Ky. Rev. Stat. § 403.730(1)(b)

Legal Information

© 2008–2025 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.