The compensation of master commissioners shall be by fee charged upon such of the parties or paid out of any fund or subject matter of the action which is in the custody or control of the circuit court. Deputies and other assistants of master commissioners shall be compensated and office expenses shall be paid from the fees of the office. Rates of compensation shall be in accordance with a schedule or schedules established by the Supreme Court.
Rule 53.06.Compensation.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceRule 53.06 makes master commissioners fee-based officers -- paid by charges to the parties or drawn from a fund or property in the circuit court's custody -- with deputies, assistants, and office expenses also covered from those fees at rates the Supreme Court sets by schedule.
Full Text of Rule 53.06
Amendment History
(Adopted October 24, 1977, effective January 1, 1978; amended December 16, 1988, effective January 1, 1989; amended September 22, 1995, effective November 1, 1995; amended November 27, 2000, effective February 1, 2001; amended October 1, 2002, effective January 1, 2003; amended November 13, 2006, effective January 1, 2007; amended November 1, 2010, effective January 1, 2011.)
Plain-English Summary
A master commissioner doesn't draw a court salary for the work; the commissioner is paid a fee, either charged to the parties directly or paid out of a fund or piece of property that's in the circuit court's custody or control as part of the case. Deputies and other assistants who work for the commissioner, along with the office's other expenses, are paid out of that same pool of fees. The Supreme Court sets the actual rates through an established schedule, so individual commissioners don't set their own prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays a master commissioner's fee in Kentucky?
The parties to the case, or a fund or piece of property in the circuit court's custody or control, depending on the matter.
Who sets how much a master commissioner charges?
The Supreme Court, through a schedule or schedules of rates. Commissioners don't set their own fees.
Are a commissioner's deputies and office costs paid separately?
No. Deputies, other assistants, and office expenses are all paid out of the fees the office of master commissioner collects.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 53.06). 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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