Prepared by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc.
Copyright 2016 - U.S. Legal Forms, Inc.
CIRCUIT COURT/FAMILY COURT
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
DIVORCE PACKAGE
ADULT CHILDREN
With or Without Property
Control Number KY–004–D
This packet contains the following:
1. Information about Divorce
2. Form List
3. Form Explanations
4. Instructions and Steps
5. Checklist
6. Access to Law Summary
You and your spouse must agree to all terms of the divorce to use this packet.
The forms must be printed on bond paper.
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INFORMATION ABOUT DIVORCE
1. WHO MAY USE THESE FORMS : This packet is designed for the sole purpose of
obtaining an uncontested divorce. This packet is only of use to you if you and your
spouse are willing to agree to all the terms and conditions of your divorce. You must
communicate with your spouse and keep him or her advised as to each step in the
process. If you cannot agree to all terms, you will become involved in a contested
divorce, which is beyond the scope of this packet. You and your spouse may file a Joint
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage only when all of the following facts are true:
(a) You and your spouse’s marriage has suffered an irretrievable breakdown with
no reasonable prospect of reconciliation;
(b) There are no minor children of said marriage, and the wife is not now
pregnant. All children of the marriage are over the age of eighteen (18)
and emancipated;
(c) The parties have agreed to all of the terms of division of assets/property in the
Separation and Property Settlement Agreement .
(d) You or your spouse has lived in Kentucky for one hundred eighty (180) days
before filing the divorce.
2. THE BASICS: In a typical divorce, you must satisfy two basic requirements before you
can file for divorce. Those requirements include the residency requirements and
appropriate grounds for divorce . These requirements are discussed in detail in their
respective sections, below.
In addition, you must agree with your spouse to become divorced, and agree to all the
terms of the divorce in filling out the forms, including property division. You will file
the forms (see detailed instructions, below) in the Circuit Court for the county in which
either spouse resides KRS 35.403.140; KRS 35.452.470.
3. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: At least one of the parties to the divorce action
must have resided in Kentucky for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to
the filing of the Petition .
KRS 35.403.140
4. GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE: The only ground upon which divorce is granted in the
Commonwealth of Kentucky is an “irretrievable breakdown” of the marriage of which
there is “no reasonable prospect of reconciliation.” KRS 35.403.170
5. WAITING PERIOD: Kentucky law provides that no divorce shall issue until the
parties have lived “separate and apart” for sixty (60) days. Living separate and apart can
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mean that the parties share the same domicile, as long as they have no sexual relations
between each other during that period of time. KRS 35.403.170
6. LEGAL SEPARATION (“DIVORCE FROM BED AND BOARD”): A “legal
separation” in Kentucky is known as a “divorce from bed and board”- which is different
from a “divorce.” A “divorce from bed and board” is a court determination of the rights
and responsibilities of a husband and wife arising out of the marital relationship. A
decree of “divorce from bed and board” does not terminate the marital status of the
parties: the parties are NOT free to marry again. KRS 35.403.050
ATTENTION: This divorce package DOES NOT include forms for a “divorce from bed
and board.”
7. ALIMONY/ SPOUSAL SUPPORT: Because this is an agreed divorce, you will decide
issues of alimony, also known as "spousal support". The forms in this no-fault divorce
package assume that no alimony will be paid and none will be sought-- but you may add
provisions for alimony if you desire. In a contested case, the courts might award
alimony. A contested divorce is beyond the scope of this divorce package. You should
consult a local attorney regarding the possibilities concerning alimony if you have
questions or foresee conflict regarding this issue.
In a contested divorce, the court may award temporary or permanent alimony to either
spouse upon a showing that: the spouse seeking alimony lacks sufficient property to
provide for his/her reasonable needs; and is unable to support himself/herself through
appropriate employment. Factors the court will consider in determining the amount and
duration of the award of support include such things as the financial resources of the party
seeking support; the time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable
the person seeking support to find appropriate employment; the standard of living
established during the marriage; the duration of the marriage; the age, physical and
emotional condition of the spouse seeking support, and; the ability of the payor spouse to
meet his needs while meeting the needs of the spouse seeking support. KRS 35.403.200
8. DISTRIBUTION OF PROPERTY: In a divorce, the property such as land, house, and
items of personal property owned by the parties is divided between the parties. Debts
owed are also allocated to one party or the other, or both. This is accomplished by means
of a Separation and Property Settlement Agreement. You and your spouse must agree to
the property and debt division and memorialize your agreement in the Separation and
Property Settlement Agreement , which will be incorporated by reference into the Decree
of Dissolution of Marriage that ultimately ends your marriage. You may agree to divide
the property any way you like, as long as a basic fairness is maintained, and you both
agree. If you cannot agree on any item of this division, the dissolution of marriage
transforms into a contested divorce . A contested divorce is beyond the scope of this
divorce package.
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9. NAME CHANGE: Upon request by the wife whose marriage has been dissolved, and if
there are no children of the marriage, the court may order that her maiden or former name
be restored.
KRS 35.403.230
10. FAMILY COURT INFORMATION: There are ten (10) Family Courts
covering the Counties below by act of the legislature. In these Counties, the Family
Division of the Circuit Court system handles dissolutions. The Counties are: Boone,
Gallatin, Floyd, Knott, Magoffin, Pulaski, Lincoln, Rockcastle, Christian, Franklin,
Jefferson, Madison, Clark, McCracken, Pike and Warren.
Important Note: For these Counties you should change the style (top) of the pleading to
add FAMILY COURT, such as:
CIRCUIT COURT
FRANKLIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY
FAMILY COURT
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FORM LIST
The forms included in this package are:
1. Joint Petition for Dissolution of Marriage – KY-804D
2. Separation and Property Settlement Agreement – KY-805D
3. Decree of Dissolution of Marriage – KY-806D
4. Case Data Information Sheet – KY-807D
5. Notice of Hearing – KY-808D
6. Entry of Appearance and Waiver – KY-809D
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FORM EXPLANATIONS
All forms included in this package are identified below.
1. Joint Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (KY-804D) - The Petition for Divorce is the
document is the document is which you are asking the court to grant your divorce along
with any other relief requested. Both you and your spouse, as your joint request to the
court, must sign this Joint Petition .
2. Separation and Property Settlement Agreement (KY-805D)- This form is a contract
in which you and your spouse agree to the division of all your property and debts. If
approved by the Judge, it will be incorporated into the Decree of Dissolution of
Marriage. It must be completed and attached to the Joint Petition for Dissolution of
Marriage.
3. Decree of Dissolution of Marriage (KY-806D) - The final statement of the legalities
and terms of your divorce, which incorporates your agreed-upon Separation and
Property Settlement Agreement . Once this form is signed by the Judge and filed with the
court, your divorce is complete. You must mail a certified copy of the signed, filed copy
of the Decree of Dissolution of Marriage to your spouse.
4. Case Data Information Sheet (KY-807D) This form is for use by a petitioner and
respondent to provide the court information including the parties' names, addresses,
telephone numbers, dates of birth, social security numbers, relationship between parties,
as well as any pending cases or cases that have been heard within the last five years that
have involved the parties or children of the parties in Family, District or Circuit Court.
5. Notice of Hearing (KY-808D) - This form is for use by a party to a divorce to notify the
other party that a hearing has been scheduled in the case and provide information such as
date, time and location of such hearing.
6. Waiver of Process and Entry of Appearance (KY-809D) – This form is signed by the
Defendant to waive service of process and enter appearance.
Note: Additional forms may be required in your County but should be available from the Clerk
of the Circuit Court or Family Court if your County is one of the Counties which has a Family
Court.
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INSTRUCTIONS AND STEPS
Note: If a form con tains a space for the signature of a Notary Public, it must be signed by you
(and if necessary by your spouse) in front of a Notary Public, who must notarize the document.
Prepare an original and several copies of each of your completed documents. Your spouse
should have a copy of everything you file, stamped “filed” by the clerk. You should keep copies
and the court must have originals.
STEP 1: Complete the following forms:
Form 1 (KY-804D) - Joint Petition for Dissolution of Marriage : you and your
spouse must agree on all information and both sign this document in front of a
Notary Public.
Form 2 (KY-805D) - Separation and Property Settlement Agreement : you and
your spouse must agree on all property division and both sign this document in
front of a Notary Public.
Form 3 (KY-806D)- Decree of Dissolution of Marriage : you and your spouse
must agree on all information to be completed. The Judge will sign this
document.
Form 4 (KY-807D) – Case Data Information Sheet : you and your spouse should
complete this form.
STEP 2: Arrange the forms:
The signed and notarized original of Form 2 must be attached to Form 1, and a
copy of the completed Form 2 must be attached to Form 3.
STEP 3: FILE the four documents, arranged as indicated above, with the court clerk for the
Circuit Court for the county of your or your spouse’s residence. You must pay a
filing fee at this time. Call ahead to determine the amount of fee and acceptable
types of payment.
At the time of filing, you must also complete and file a “VS-300” information
form. The clerk will provide you with this document. You may want to obtain
this document in advance and have it ready for filing when you go to the
courthouse, because it make take some time to complete, and require you to
access information that you may not be carrying with you. Ask the clerk if any
additional documents are needed.
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STEP 4: Final procedures:
You must attend an uncontested hearing where the Judge will ask a few brief
questions in order to confirm the information in your documents. Consult the
court clerk about the date for your hearing. Inform your spouse of the hearing
through Form 5 (KY-808D) – Notice of Hearing , and bring completed copies of
Forms 1, 2, 3, and 4 and any other documents you have completed during the
process. Once the Judge signs the Decree of Dissolution, it must be filed with the
court clerk, and a certified copy mailed to your spouse.
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CHECKLIST
Complete Forms 1, 2, 3, and 4 in agreement with your spouse.
Sign Forms 1 and 2 in front of a Notary Public.
FILE the forms. Pay filing fee. Ask clerk if any addition forms are needed. Keep
copies of all forms stamped “filed” by the clerk.
Determine final procedures and complete and provide Form 5 to your spouse after
consulting with the clerk.
Decree of Dissolution signed by the Judge and filed with the court clerk.
Certified copy of Decree of Dissolution mailed to your former spouse.
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NOTE ABOUT COMPLETING THE FORMS
The forms in this packet may contain “form fields” created using Microsoft Word. “Form fields”
facilitate completion of the forms using your computer. They do not limit you ability to print the
form “in blank” and complete with a typewriter or by hand.
If you do not see the gray shaded form fields, go the View menu, click on Toolbars, and then
select Forms. This will open the forms toolbar. Look for the button on the forms toolbar that
resembles a shaded letter “a”. Click in this button and the form fields will be visible. If they do
not become visible, then they were not included in this form package.
If you need to make any changes in the body of the form, it is necessary for you “unlock” or
“unprotect” the form. IF YOU INTEND TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE CONTENT, DO
SO BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO FILL IN THE FIELDS. IF YOU UNLOCK THE
DOCUMENT AFTER YOU HAVE BEGUN TO COMPLETE THE FIELDS, WHEN
YOU RELOCK, ALL INFORMATION YOU ENTERED WILL BE LOST. To unlock
click on “Tools” in the Menu bar and then selecting “unprotect document”. You may then be
prompted to enter a password. If so, the password is “uslf”. That is uslf in lower case letters
without the quotation marks . After you make the changes relock the document before you
begin to complete the fields.
After any required changes and re-protecting the document, click on the first form field
and enter the required information. You will be able to navigate through the document
from form field to form field using your tab key. Tab to a form field and insert your data.
If you experience problems, please let us know.
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LAW SUMMARY
You may access the law summary for your State by using the link below:
http://secure.uslegalforms.com/lawsummary/KY/KY-004-D.htm
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DISCLAIMER
These materials were developed by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. based upon statutes and forms for the
State of Kentucky. All Information and Forms are subject to this Disclaimer: All forms in this
package are provided without any warranty, express or implied, as to their legal effect and
completeness. Please use at your own risk. If you have a serious legal problem we suggest that
you consult an attorney. U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. does not provide legal advice. The products
offered by U.S. Legal Forms (USLF) are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
NONINFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL U. S. LEGAL FORMS, INC. OR ITS
AGENTS OR OFFICERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER
(INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS
INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR
INABILITY TO USE THE MATERIALS, EVEN IF U.S. LEGAL FORMS, INC. HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
THESE FORMS WERE PREPARED FOR STATEWIDE USE. HOWEVER, SOME
COUNTIES OR JUDGES MAY REQUIRE CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS TO THE FORMS
FOR USE IN YOUR PARTICULAR COUNTY AND MAY REQUIRE SPECIAL FORMS
NOT INCLUDED. CHANGES REQUIRED BY PARTICULAR JUDGES IS NOT
UNCOMMON EVEN IF THE FORMS HAD BEEN PREPARED BY YOUR ATTORNEY.
REGARDLESS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE THESE FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS,
WITH ANY REQUIRED MODIFICATIONS, TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS. IF
YOU NEED TO MAKE CHANGES, OR IF SPECIAL FORMS ARE REQUIRED IN YOUR
COUNTY, YOU CAN MAKE THE CHANGES AND REFILE, OR OBTAIN THE SPECIAL
FORMS EITHER FROM THE CLERK OR A CLOSED DIVORCE FILE WHICH YOU CAN
USE AS AN EXAMPLE.
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