Any party may serve on any other party a request (a) to produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on his behalf, to inspect and copy any designated documents (including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, phone-records, and other data compilations from which information can be obtained, translated, if necessary, by the respondent through detection devices into reasonably usable form), or to inspect and copy, test, or sample any tangible things which constitute or contain matters within the scope of Rule 26.02 and which are in the possession, custody or control of the party upon whom the request is served; or (b) to permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or control of the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection and measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling the property or any designated object or operation thereon, within the scope of Rule 26.02.
Rule 34.01.Scope.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceRule 34.01 lets any party serve a written request on another party to inspect, copy, test, or sample documents and other data compilations, or tangible things, within the scope of Rule 26.02, and to enter onto land or property the other party controls to inspect, measure, survey, photograph, test, or sample it.
Full Text of Rule 34.01
Amendment History
(Amended effective October 1, 1971.)
Plain-English Summary
Rule 34.01 covers two kinds of discovery requests. The first lets a party ask another party to hand over documents, photographs, phone records, or other data compilations for inspection and copying, or to inspect, test, or sample physical objects the other party holds. The rule reaches electronically stored information too, since it covers data compilations that must be translated into usable form. The second lets a party ask to come onto land or property the other party possesses or controls, to inspect, measure, survey, photograph, test, or sample it or anything on it.
Either kind of request only reaches material within the scope of Rule 26.02, meaning it must be relevant to a claim or defense and not privileged. The party holding the documents or property does not have to be the one who owns them; possession, custody, or control is enough to trigger the obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I ask another party to produce under Kentucky's discovery rules?
Under Rule 34.01, a party can request documents, writings, drawings, photographs, phone records, and other data compilations, along with tangible things a party can inspect, copy, test, or sample, as long as the material falls within the scope of Rule 26.02 and is in the other party's possession, custody, or control.
Can I get access to someone's land or property during a lawsuit?
Yes. Rule 34.01 lets a party request entry onto land or other property that another party possesses or controls, for inspecting, measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling the property or anything on it.
Does Rule 34.01 cover electronic data?
Yes. The rule includes data compilations from which information can be obtained and, if necessary, translated by the responding party through detection devices into a form the requesting party can use.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 34.01). 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: Kentucky request for production of documentsRFP Kentucky civil procedureinspecting documents in a lawsuitland entry for inspection discoveryCR 34.01requesting tangible things for testing