Mercer County Circuit Court, Kentucky Sealing & Redaction Procedures

Paternity files are confidential and access is restricted, with specified entry-of-appearance, notarized-authorization, and court-appointed-attorney exceptions.

Until such time as paternity cases are no longer deemed confidential proceedings under Kentucky law, the Clerk shall restrict access to paternity cases to the parties, the Commonwealth, and any attorney that a party has retained. Counsel for a party shall not be permitted access to a paternity file unless he or she files an Entry of Appearance on behalf of a named party to the proceeding. In the alternative, an attorney may access a paternity file by producing to the Clerk a notarized authorization signed by a party. Additionally, an attorney appointed by the Court to serve as a Warning Order Attorney or as an attorney for an incarcerated or incompetent individual may have access to the file.