(1) In civil cases each opposing side shall have three peremptory challenges, but co-parties having antagonistic interests shall have three peremptory challenges each.
Rule 47.03.Peremptory challenges.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceRule 47.03 gives each opposing side three peremptory challenges in a civil case (three for each co-party with antagonistic interests), adds one more challenge per side if one or two alternate jurors are seated, and sets out the simultaneous strike-the-list procedure parties use to exercise them.
Full Text of Rule 47.03
(2) If one or two (2) additional jurors are called, the number of peremptory challenges for each side and antagonistic co-party shall be increased by one.
(3) After the parties have been given the opportunity of challenging jurors for cause, each side or party having the right to exercise peremptory challenges shall be handed a list of qualified jurors drawn from the box equal to the number of jurors to be seated plus the number of allowable peremptory challenges for all parties. Peremptory challenges shall be exercised simultaneously by striking names from the list and returning it to the trial judge. If the number of prospective jurors remaining on the list exceeds the number of jurors to be seated, the cards bearing numbers identifying the prospective jurors shall be placed in a box and thoroughly mixed, following which the clerk shall draw at random the number of cards necessary to comprise the jury or, if so directed by the court, a sufficient number of cards to reduce the jury to the number required by law, in which latter event the prospective jurors whose identifying cards remain in the box shall be empaneled as the jury.
Amendment History
(Adopted September 4, 1979, effective January 1, 1980.)
Plain-English Summary
A peremptory challenge lets a party remove a prospective juror without giving a reason. Rule 47.03 sets the count for Kentucky civil cases: three peremptory challenges per side. If co-parties on the same side have interests that work against each other instead of together, each of those co-parties gets three challenges of its own, not three split between them. When the court has decided to seat one or two alternate jurors, each side's challenge count goes up by one to cover the larger panel.
The mechanics matter as much as the count. After the judge has ruled on challenges for cause, the clerk hands each side a list of the qualified jurors -- enough names to fill the jury plus every peremptory challenge every party is entitled to use. Both sides strike names from that list at the same time and hand it back to the judge; nobody strikes in response to what the other side has already crossed off. If more names survive the strikes than seats on the jury, the clerk puts the surviving jurors' numbered cards in a box, mixes them, and draws out at random enough names to fill the jury -- or, if the court has ordered a larger panel, enough to fill it before any later trim-down.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many peremptory challenges do I get in a Kentucky civil trial?
Each opposing side gets three peremptory challenges. Co-parties with antagonistic interests each get three of their own instead of sharing three between them, and each side gets one additional challenge if the court seats one or two alternate jurors.
Do both sides use peremptory challenges at the same time in Kentucky?
Yes. Rule 47.03 has both sides strike names from the qualified-juror list at the same time and hand the list back to the judge, instead of taking turns striking one juror at a time.
What happens if more jurors are left on the list than seats on the jury after challenges?
The clerk places the remaining jurors' numbered cards in a box, mixes them, and draws at random the number needed to fill the jury, or a larger panel if the court ordered one.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 47.03). 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
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