Ky. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 532
Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 532.135 (2026)

Determination by court that defendant has a serious intellectual disability

✓ current as of May 2026
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or serious mental illness. (1) At least one hundred twenty (120) days before trial, the defendant shall file a motion with the trial court wherein the defendant may allege that he or she is a defendant with a serious intellectual disability or a defendant with serious mental illness and present evidence with regard thereto. The Commonwealth may offer evidence in rebuttal. (2) At least ninety (90) days before the beginning of the trial, the court shall determine whether or not the defendant is a defendant with a serious intellectual disability or a defendant with serious mental illness, in accordance with the criteria set forth in KRS 532.130. (3) The decision of the court shall be placed in the record. (4) The pretrial determination of the trial court shall not preclude the defendant from raising any legal defense during the trial. If it is determined the defendant is a defendant with a serious intellectual disability or a defendant with serious mental illness, he or she shall be sentenced as provided in KRS 532.140. Effective: July 14, 2022 History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 109, sec. 2, effective July 14, 2022. -- Amended 2012 Ky. Acts ch. 146, sec. 134, effective July 12, 2012. -- Created 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 488, sec. 2, effective July 13, 1990.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 27 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1998–2026 · leading case: Bowling v. Commonwealth, 163 S.W.3d 361 (Ky. 2005).
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Bowling v. Commonwealth, 163 S.W.3d 361 (Ky. 2005). · cites it 30× “Definitions for KRS 532.135 and 532.140. . . . (2) A defendant with significant subaverage intellectual functioning existing concurrently with substantial deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period is referred to in KRS 532.”
Commonwealth v. Sanchez, 36 A.3d 24 (Pa. 2011). · cites it 3× “§ 21-6622 (2011); Ky.Rev.Stat. § 532.135 (1990); Chase v. State, 873 So.”
Ex Parte Briseno, 135 S.W.3d 1 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004). “§ 21-4623 (2002) and Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 532.135 (Michie 2002).”
In Re Hawthorne, 105 P.3d 552 (Cal. 2005). · cites it 2× “(G), (H); Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 532.135, subds. (1), (2); Neb.”
Jenkins v. State, 498 S.E.2d 502 (Ga. 1998). · cites it 2× “§ 21-4623 (d); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 532.135 (2); N.M. Stat.”
White v. Commonwealth, 178 S.W.3d 470 (Ky. 2006). · cites it 2× “An offender who is mentally retarded, as defined in KRS 532.135, is not subject to the death penally.”
White v. Commonwealth, 500 S.W.3d 208 (Ky. 2016). · cites it 2× “By continuing to refuse to be examined, to his great risk of not being spared, he simply fails in proving his ineligibility for the death sentence.”
Pruitt v. State, 834 N.E.2d 90 (Ind. 2005). “§ 21-4623 (1995); Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 532.135 (Mitchie 1999).”
Lambert v. State, 1999 OK CR 17 (Okla. Crim. App. 1999). · cites it 2× “140 (Michie 1990) ("no offender who has been determined to be a seriously mentally retarded offender under the provisions of KRS 532.135, shall be subject to execution"); Md.”
United States v. Nelson, 419 F. Supp. 2d 891 (E.D. La. 2006). · cites it 2× “…SO ORDERED. 1 . See Ariz.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 13-703.02; Colo. Rev.Stat. Ann. §§ 18-1.3-1102; Ind.Code Ann. §§ 35-36-9-5; Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. §§ 532.135; S.D. Codified Laws §§ 23A-27A; Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-203; Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-618; Mo. Ann. Stat. § 565.030 ; N.C. Gen.Stat. §…”
State v. Turner, 936 So. 2d 89 (La. 2006). “…judge."). [1] See Ariz.Rev.Stat. Ann. § 13-703.02; Colo. Rev.Stat. Ann. §§ 18-1.3-1102; Ind.Code Ann. §§ 35-36-9-5; Ky.Rev.Stat. Ann. §§ 532.135; S.D. Codified Laws §§ 23A-27A; Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-13-203; Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-618; Mo. Ann. Stat. § 565.030 ; N.C. Gen.Stat. §…”
Bowling v. Commonwealth, 224 S.W.3d 577 (Ky. 2007). · cites it 2× “140(1), enacted July 13, 1990, provides: "[N]o offender who has been determined to be a seriously mentally retarded offender under the provisions of KRS 532.135, shall be subject to execution.”
Show all 27 citing cases →
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 532.135(1) — 2 cases
Bowling v. Commonwealth, 163 S.W.3d 361 (Ky. 2005). “Definitions for KRS 532.135 and 532.140. . . . (2) A defendant with significant subaverage intellectual functioning existing concurrently with substantial deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period is referred to in KRS 532.”
Bowling v. Commonwealth, 377 S.W.3d 529 (Ky. 2012).
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 532.135(2) — 2 cases
Bowling v. Commonwealth, 163 S.W.3d 361 (Ky. 2005). “Definitions for KRS 532.135 and 532.140. . . . (2) A defendant with significant subaverage intellectual functioning existing concurrently with substantial deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period is referred to in KRS 532.”
Jenkins v. State, 498 S.E.2d 502 (Ga. 1998). “§ 21-4623 (d); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 532.135 (2); N.M. Stat.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 532.135(4) — 1 case
Bowling v. Commonwealth, 163 S.W.3d 361 (Ky. 2005). “Definitions for KRS 532.135 and 532.140. . . . (2) A defendant with significant subaverage intellectual functioning existing concurrently with substantial deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period is referred to in KRS 532.”
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