Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 418.075 (2026)

Necessary parties -- Notice to Attorney General in proceedings and appeals

✓ current as of May 2026
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-- Notice to Legislative Research Commission -- Consent to suit required for certain actions involving legislative branch. When declaratory relief is sought, all persons shall be made parties who have or claim any interest which would be affected by the declaration, and no declaration shall prejudice the rights of persons not parties to the proceeding. (1) In any proceeding which involves the validity of a statute, the Attorney General of the state shall, before judgment is entered, be served with a copy of the petition, and shall be entitled to be heard, and if the ordinance or franchise is alleged to be unconstitutional, the Attorney General of the state shall also be served with a copy of the petition and be entitled to be heard. (2) In any appeal to the Kentucky Court of Appeals or Supreme Court or the federal appellate courts in any forum which involves the constitutional validity of a statute, the Attorney General shall, before the filing of the appellant's brief, be served with a copy of the pleading, paper, or other documents which initiate the appeal in the appellate forum. This notice shall specify the challenged statute and the nature of the alleged constitutional defect. (3) The Attorney General shall notify the Legislative Research Commission of: (a) The receipt of a petition and the nature of any proceedings involving the validity of a statute; and (b) The entering of a final judgment in those proceedings, if the Attorney General is a party to that action. (4) Pursuant to Sections 43 and 231 of the Constitution of Kentucky, members of the General Assembly, organizations within the legislative branch of state government, or officers or employees of the legislative branch shall not be made parties to any action challenging the constitutionality or validity of any statute or regulation, without the consent of the member, organization, or officer or employee. Effective: June 24, 2003 History: Amended 2003 Ky. Acts ch. 152, sec. 1, effective June 24, 2003. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 202, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1996. -- Transferred 1952 Ky. Acts ch. 84, sec. 1, effective July 1, 1953, from C.C. sec. 639a-9. -- Created 1922 Ky. Acts ch. 83, sec. 9.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 156 cases (64 in the last 5 years), 1955–2026 · leading case: Maney v. Mary Chiles Hosp., 785 S.W.2d 480 (Ky. 1990).
Maney v. Mary Chiles Hosp., 785 S.W.2d 480 (Ky. 1990). · cites it 30× “Declining to reach the constitutional issue on the merits, the Court of Appeals majority held that appellant's failure to give notice to the Attorney General of the constitutional challenge raised in the trial court was fatal to the appeal as being in violation of KRS 418.075…”
Benet v. Commonwealth, 253 S.W.3d 528 (Ky. 2008). · cites it 11× “” 10 We have made plain that strict compliance with the notification provisions of KRS 418.075 is mandatory[,] 11 meaning that even in criminal cases, we have refused to address arguments that a statute is unconstitutional unless the notice provisions of KRS 418.”
Preston v. Johnson Cnty. Fiscal Court, 27 S.W.3d 790 (Ky. 2000). · cites it 40× “KRS 418.075 requires that the Attorney General be notified in cases such as the one before us where the plaintiff seeks declaratory relief: When declaratory relief is sought, all persons shall be made parties who have or claim any interest which would be affected by the…”
Jim Wayne in His Off. Capacity as State Rep. v. Commonwealth of Kentucky Off. of the Governor Matthew Bevin in His Off. Capacity as Governor, 498 S.W.3d 355 (Ky. 2016). · cites it 6× “03; KRS 418.075), 4 the Court held that the Attorney General's "constitutional, statutory and common law powers include the power to initiate a suit questioning the constitutionality of a statute," id.”
Commonwealth v. Kentucky Ret. Sys., 396 S.W.3d 833 (Ky. 2013). · cites it 7× “Retirement Systems argued in its appellate brief that the Commonwealth is necessary as a separate party because it has an interest that would be affected by the litigation, as required by KRS 418.075, and that the Commonwealth is a proper party to a declaratory judgment action.”
Stewart v. Est. of Cooper, 102 S.W.3d 913 (Ky. 2003). · cites it 6× “2d 480, 482 (1990) ("It is our view that KRS 418.075 is mandatory and that strict enforcement of the statute will eliminate the procedural uncertainty.”
Delahanty v. Commonwealth, 558 S.W.3d 489 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 5× “03, which states: "When the constitutionality of an act of the General Assembly affecting the public interest is drawn into question in any action, the movant shall serve a copy of the pleading, motion or other paper first raising the challenge upon the Attorney General.”
Hayes v. Commonwealth, 175 S.W.3d 574 (Ky. 2005). · cites it 4× “1990) (KRS 418.075 is mandatory and will be strictly enforced); Jacobs v.”
Withers v. Univ. of Kentucky, 939 S.W.2d 340 (Ky. 1997). · cites it 4× “073 as it appears to be unpreserved by failure to include such issue on their pre-hearing statement and failure to give notice to the Attorney General as required by KRS 418.075 and Maney v. Mary Chiles Hospital, Ky.”
Ronald Lynn Craft v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 483 S.W.3d 837 (Ky. 2016). · cites it 6× “KRS 418.075 declares that notice to the Attorney General is prerequisite to any constitutional challenge.”
Jones v. Commonwealth, 319 S.W.3d 295 (Ky. 2010). · cites it 4× “[4] Before we address the merits of Appellants' argument, we will address the Commonwealth's claim that the issue was not preserved because the Attorney General received no notice of this constitutional challenge as required by KRS 418.075. The trial court addressed the…”
Kessler v. Switzer, 289 S.W.3d 228 (Ky. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 8× “KRS 418.075 provides: (1) In any proceeding which involves the validity of a statute, the Attorney General of the state shall, before judgment is entered, be served with a copy of the petition, and shall be entitled to be heard, and if the ordinance or franchise is alleged to be…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 418.075(1) — 44 cases
Delahanty v. Commonwealth, 558 S.W.3d 489 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). “03, which states: "When the constitutionality of an act of the General Assembly affecting the public interest is drawn into question in any action, the movant shall serve a copy of the pleading, motion or other paper first raising the challenge upon the Attorney General.”
Stewart v. Est. of Cooper, 102 S.W.3d 913 (Ky. 2003). “2d 480, 482 (1990) ("It is our view that KRS 418.075 is mandatory and that strict enforcement of the statute will eliminate the procedural uncertainty.”
Hayes v. Commonwealth, 175 S.W.3d 574 (Ky. 2005). “1990) (KRS 418.075 is mandatory and will be strictly enforced); Jacobs v.”
EMW Women's Surgical Ctr. v. Andrew Beshear, 920 F.3d 421 (6th Cir. 2019).
Preston v. Johnson Cnty. Fiscal Court, 27 S.W.3d 790 (Ky. 2000). “KRS 418.075 requires that the Attorney General be notified in cases such as the one before us where the plaintiff seeks declaratory relief: When declaratory relief is sought, all persons shall be made parties who have or claim any interest which would be affected by the…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 418.075(2) — 15 cases
Preston v. Johnson Cnty. Fiscal Court, 27 S.W.3d 790 (Ky. 2000). “KRS 418.075 requires that the Attorney General be notified in cases such as the one before us where the plaintiff seeks declaratory relief: When declaratory relief is sought, all persons shall be made parties who have or claim any interest which would be affected by the…”
Univ. Med. Ctr., Inc. v. Beglin, 375 S.W.3d 783 (Ky. 2011).
Austin Powder Co. v. Stacy, 495 S.W.3d 732 (Ky. Ct. App. 2016).
Commonwealth v. Hamilton, 411 S.W.3d 741 (Ky. 2013).
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 418.075(4) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Kentucky Ret. Sys., 396 S.W.3d 833 (Ky. 2013). “Retirement Systems argued in its appellate brief that the Commonwealth is necessary as a separate party because it has an interest that would be affected by the litigation, as required by KRS 418.075, and that the Commonwealth is a proper party to a declaratory judgment action.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 418.075(l) — 1 case
Stewart v. Est. of Cooper, 102 S.W.3d 913 (Ky. 2003). “2d 480, 482 (1990) ("It is our view that KRS 418.075 is mandatory and that strict enforcement of the statute will eliminate the procedural uncertainty.”
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