Statements in a pleading may be adopted by reference in a different part of the same pleading or in another pleading or in any motion. A copy of any written instrument which is an exhibit to a pleading is a part thereof for all purposes.
Rule 10.03.Adoption by reference -- Exhibits.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceStatements from one part of a pleading, or from another pleading or motion, may be adopted by reference elsewhere, and a written instrument attached as an exhibit becomes part of the pleading for all purposes.
Full Text of Rule 10.03
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 10.03 saves repetition. Instead of retyping facts already stated somewhere else in the same pleading, in a different pleading, or in a motion, a party can adopt those statements by reference and point back to where they appear.
The rule also settles the status of exhibits. A copy of a written instrument attached as an exhibit to a pleading counts as part of that pleading for all purposes -- it is not a separate, free-floating document but folds directly into the pleading it is attached to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I incorporate facts from an earlier pleading instead of repeating them?
Yes. Rule 10.03 allows statements in a pleading to be adopted by reference in a different part of the same pleading, in another pleading, or in a motion.
If I attach a contract as an exhibit, is it treated as part of my complaint?
Yes. A copy of any written instrument that is an exhibit to a pleading is a part of that pleading for all purposes.
Does adoption by reference work across different filings, like a motion?
Yes. The rule allows adoption by reference in another pleading or in any motion, not only within the same document.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 10.03). 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: adoption by reference in pleadings KentuckyCR 10.03attaching an exhibit to a complaintincorporating a written instrument by referenceexhibits as part of a pleading