Louisville Small Claims Court: Filing Location, Hours, and How Cases Work

Where Small Claims Cases Are Handled in Louisville

Small claims cases in Jefferson County go through the Small Claims Division of the District Court. The physical location is the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice at 600 West Jefferson Street, Suite 2008, in downtown Louisville.

The District Civil and Small Claims filing window is open 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays. Emergency intake services run continuously, but standard filings — including counterclaims, settlement agreements, and motions — need to come in during those business hours.

The office that processes everything is the Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Despite the name, the Circuit Court Clerk handles filing and docket administration for both Circuit and District Court, including the small claims division.

How Louisville Small Claims Cases Start

A plaintiff files Form AOC-175 (the Small Claims Complaint) with the clerk and pays a filing fee of roughly $25 to $30. The clerk then serves the defendant — usually by certified mail or through the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

The served packet includes the complaint and a summons showing the hearing date, time, and courtroom. Any exhibits or receipts the plaintiff attached to their filing stay in the clerk's case file. The defendant does not receive copies of those attachments with the summons.

What Defendants Need to Know

Kentucky small claims court does not require a written answer. The defendant does not file paperwork to dispute the claim. Showing up at the hearing is the response — it preserves all defenses and counts as a denial of the plaintiff's allegations.

Two things do have hard deadlines before the hearing:

• Counterclaim: If the defendant believes the plaintiff actually owes them money from the same dispute, they file Form AOC-185 at least five days before the hearing date and serve a copy on the plaintiff.
• Jury trial demand: If the plaintiff's claim or the value of property in dispute exceeds $250, the defendant can request a jury trial in writing at least seven days before the hearing. This transfers the case out of small claims to the regular District Court civil docket, which comes with different rules and additional fees.

The $2,500 Limit

Jefferson County small claims follow the same statewide cap as every other county: $2,500 maximum, exclusive of interest and court costs. If the plaintiff's claim exceeds that amount, it does not belong in small claims. If a compulsory counterclaim exceeds $2,500, the entire case gets transferred out of the small claims division.

Checking Your Case Online

Jefferson County has adopted electronic filing for attorneys, but self-represented parties still rely primarily on paper filings or the optional online A2J Guided Interviews through kyjustice.org. Case records can be searched on CourtNet 2.0, the statewide public access database. A newly filed case may not appear online for several days — paper filings and service returns create a lag between the physical filing and the electronic index.

To confirm a hearing date or verify that a case is real, call the Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk's office directly using the number listed on kycourts.gov.

Courtroom Expectations

Louisville small claims hearings are bench trials before a District Court Judge. The plaintiff goes first, then the defendant. Both sides present evidence and can call witnesses. Bring everything printed — original documents for the judge, plus copies for the other party. Written statements from people who are not present are generally treated as hearsay and excluded.

The judge may rule immediately from the bench or take the case under advisement. The decision is recorded on Form AOC-190.

After a Louisville Small Claims Judgment

The losing party has 10 calendar days from the entry of judgment to file a Notice of Appeal. The appeal goes to Jefferson Circuit Court and is decided on the existing record — no new evidence is allowed.

If you are preparing to respond to a small claims case in Louisville, the Kentucky Small Claims Response Guide walks through every step from reading the AOC-175 summons to organizing your evidence for the hearing.

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