Kentucky AOC-175 Small Claims Complaint: What Defendants Need to Know

What the AOC-175 Is

Form AOC-175 is the official Small Claims Complaint used to start a lawsuit in the Small Claims Division of Kentucky District Court. The plaintiff fills it out and files it with the Circuit Court Clerk, who then sends a copy to the defendant along with a civil summons.

If you have received this form in the mail or from a process server, you have been sued in small claims court. The document is published by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) — the revision you will most likely see is Rev. 4-26.

Reading the Form Section by Section

The AOC-175 has several key sections that matter to you as a defendant:

Case caption. The top of the form identifies the Judicial Circuit and District, the county, the division, and the case number. Write down the case number — you will need it for everything, from calling the clerk to filing a counterclaim.

Party information. The form lists the plaintiff's name, address, and phone number, along with yours. Check whether your name and address are correct. Errors in service details can become relevant later.

Claim details. The body of the complaint states the dollar amount demanded, an itemization of the underlying facts (what the plaintiff says you owe and why), and requests for post-judgment interest and court costs. The maximum claim amount is $2,500, exclusive of interest and costs.

Hearing date and location. The summons attached to the AOC-175 tells you exactly when and where to appear — the date, time, and courtroom or virtual platform.

What Is Not in the Packet

This catches many defendants off guard. Under the standard administrative instructions for the AOC-175, only the face of the complaint form is served on the defendant. The plaintiff may have attached receipts, invoices, photos, contracts, or other exhibits when filing — but those attachments are not sent to you.

To see what the plaintiff submitted, you need to visit the Circuit Court Clerk's office in the county where the case was filed and review the official case file. This is worth doing before the hearing. The evidence the plaintiff has gathered tells you what you need to prepare for.

How to Verify the Case Is Real

Scam demand letters exist. Before reacting to the AOC-175, confirm the proceeding is legitimate:

1. Call the clerk directly. Find the Circuit Court Clerk's phone number on kycourts.gov — not from the papers you received. Ask them to confirm the case number, the parties, and the hearing date.
2. Search CourtNet 2.0. The statewide public records system lets you look up cases online. A brand-new filing may take several days to appear in the electronic index, so do not panic if it is not there yet.
3. Never send money based on the papers alone. No legitimate court process requires you to pay the plaintiff before the hearing. If someone calls demanding immediate payment and threatening arrest, that is not how small claims court works.

Defendants Do Not Fill Out the AOC-175

The AOC-175 is the plaintiff's form. As a defendant, you do not fill out or file your own copy. Kentucky small claims does not require a written answer or response form. Your appearance at the hearing is your response.

If you decide to file a counterclaim — because you believe the plaintiff owes you money from the same dispute — you use a different form: AOC-185 (Small Claims Counterclaim). That must be filed and served at least five days before the hearing.

Other AOC Forms You May Encounter

All official forms are available free from the Kentucky Court of Justice website. Court clerks can provide paper copies, though they cannot help you fill them out or advise you on strategy.

The Kentucky Small Claims Response Guide includes a step-by-step breakdown of the AOC-175 with a worksheet for recording every detail that matters to your defense.

See more Kentucky guides →