{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-27a.600","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 27A.600","heading":"Designation of nonprofit legal services agencies -- Funding -- Promotion of","body":"pro bono legal assistance.\n(1) For each judicial district, the Chief Justice of the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall\ndesignate a nonprofit agency to operate and administer progr ams for the provision\nof legal services to indigent clients involved in civil matters within the judicial\ndistrict.\n(a) This agency shall be the nonprofit legal services organization designated as\neligible to receive funds from the federal Legal Services C orporation for the\nprovision of civil legal services to the indigent, if one exists. The nonprofit\nlegal services organization shall receive supplemental funds provided by this\nsection for each county in the district in which it provides service.\n(b) At le ast twelve and one -half percent (12.5%) of any funds appropriated\npursuant to subsection (1)(a) shall be used to promote increased participation\nby the private bar in the delivery of legal services to the indigent through pro\nbono efforts, which may includ e the operation of intake and referral systems;\nthe provision of professional education regarding legal matters peculiar to the\nindigent; the provision of technical co -counselling assistance to private\nattorneys engaged in representing indigent clients in civil matters; and\nreimbursement of reasonable costs and expenses incurred by private attorneys\nin delivering pro bono legal assistance. Nothing in this subsection shall be\nconstrued as limiting the maximum amount of funds appropriated under this\nsection which may be used for promotion of pro bono efforts by the private\nbar, where the local legal services organization's board of directors deems that\nan effective and efficient system of delivering legal assistance to the local\nindigent population would requi re the allocation of a sum in excess of twelve\nand one-half percent (12.5%) of the funds disbursed pursuant to this section.\nThe local organization's board of directors shall annually review the\nappropriate allocation of funds from this section for the pro motion of pro\nbono services by the private bar.\n(c) If any county in the Commonwealth is not currently served by a nonprofit\nagency eligible to receive funds from the federal Legal Services Corporation,\nthe Chief Justice shall designate a nonprofit agency to provide legal services\nto indigent clients in civil matters within that county.\n(2) In designating an agency pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the Chief Justice\nshall consult with the Chief Circuit Judge of the judicial district, the president of the\nlocal bar association within the county or the judicial district, and agencies\nproviding legal services to indigent clients in civil matters within the judicial\ndistrict. The designated agency may serve one (1) or more counties within the\njudicial district, and designation of a multicounty agency shall be undertaken if\nconsultations indicate that it would promote efficient use of funds. To receive\ndesignation, an agency shall certify to the Chief Justice that:\n(a) It is incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky;\n(b) It is an organization within the meaning of Section 501 (c) of the Internal\nRevenue Code of 1986; and\n(c) All persons participating in delivery of legal services to agency clients provide\nthe service without any fee to the client for these services.","path":["KRS Chapter 27A"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=20969","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:48:47Z","sha256":"21bf4eee3ea0c05c3a891efc1f8550230babeb32e5e43bfd4b251a2621d8a403","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-27a.470","next":"us-ky/krs-27a.610"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}