The United States District Court for the District of Kentucky was first established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. It was later separated into Western and Eastern Districts in 1901. The Western District of Kentucky is currently comprised of 4 divisions, with courthouses located in Louisville, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Paducah.
The Court has prepared this informational guide to foster cooperation between the Court and the media for coverage of trials and hearings in the district. The Cases of Interest Page provides information on cases that have received significant public and media attention and will include any case specific information for media.
Judges and court staff will not comment on individual cases. Such inquiries should be directed to attorneys in the case as listed on the case docket. All questions that cannot be answered by the links on this page or that cannot be answered with publicly available information may be directed to the Clerk of Court at james_vilt@kywd.uscourts.gov.
Court Resources for the Media
- Court’s Policy on Use of Cameras and Other Portable Electronic Devices. The use of cameras and other portable electronic devices is governed by LCrR 53.1, LR 83.9, and General Order 2018-09
- Courthouse Entry and COVID-Related Protocols. The courthouses opens to the public at 8:00 a.m. local time. All persons entering the courthouse are subject to the courthouse security procedures. All briefcases, purses, parcels, bags, backpacks, and other items shall be passed through X-ray scanners and shall be subject to search. A valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or U.S. Passport is required to enter the courthouse.
- Court calendars. Calendars for court proceedings scheduled within the District may be found here.
- Media Account. Information regarding a CM-ECF account for media use can be found here.
Additional Resources