All averments of claim or defense shall be made in numbered paragraphs, the contents of each of which shall be limited as far as practicable to a statement of a single set of circumstances; and a paragraph may be referred to by number in all succeeding pleadings. Each claim founded upon a separate transaction or occurrence and each defense other than denials shall be stated in a separate count or defense whenever a separation facilitates the clear presentation of the matters set forth.
Rule 10.02.Paragraphs -- Separate statements.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceClaims and defenses must be set out in numbered paragraphs, each limited so far as practicable to a single set of circumstances, and each claim or defense arising from a separate transaction must be stated in its own count or defense when doing so clarifies the pleading.
Full Text of Rule 10.02
Amendment History
The source reproduced here (current through June 18, 2026) records no amendment to this rule since its original adoption — no History line appears for it in the compiled rules. For the underlying adopting order and any later amendments, see the West’s Rules & Procedures.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 10.02 organizes the inside of a pleading, not just its caption. Every averment of claim or defense goes into a numbered paragraph, and each paragraph should, as far as practicable, cover a single set of circumstances rather than mixing several unrelated facts together. Numbering matters beyond tidiness -- later pleadings can refer back to an earlier paragraph by its number instead of restating it.
The rule also addresses claims and defenses that do not share a common origin. Each claim founded on a separate transaction or occurrence, and each defense other than a denial, must be stated in its own count or defense whenever separating them makes the pleading easier to follow. The standard is practical clarity, not a rigid rule for splitting every claim into its own section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the paragraphs in a pleading need to be numbered?
Yes. Rule 10.02 requires that all averments of claim or defense be made in numbered paragraphs.
Can I refer back to an earlier paragraph instead of repeating it?
Yes. A paragraph may be referred to by number in all succeeding pleadings.
When do separate claims need to be split into separate counts?
Each claim founded upon a separate transaction or occurrence, and each defense other than denials, must be stated in a separate count or defense whenever a separation facilitates the clear presentation of the matters set forth.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 10.02). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Kentucky (Ky. Const. § 116). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: numbered paragraphs in pleadings KentuckyCR 10.02separate counts for separate claimshow to organize a complaint into paragraphsreferring to a paragraph by number