Service of summons, notice and other required papers upon defendants in respect to proceedings for attachment or writ of possession shall be made as prescribed in Rule 4, or may be served by any person authorized to serve a subpoena pursuant to Rule 45.03, or may be directed by the plaintiff to the defendant at his last known place of residence by certified mail, return receipt requested. Expenses shall be recoverable as costs.
Rule 69.01.Service upon defendants in respect to proceedings for attachment or writ of possession.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceRule 69.01 sets three ways to serve defendants with the papers required in attachment or writ-of-possession proceedings -- under Rule 4, through anyone authorized to serve a subpoena under Rule 45.03, or by certified mail to the defendant's last known residence -- with the plaintiff's expense recoverable as costs.
Full Text of Rule 69.01
Amendment History
(Adopted May 4, 1978, effective June 1, 1978.)
Plain-English Summary
Before a court can attach a defendant's property or issue a writ putting someone in possession of it, the defendant has to be told about the proceeding. Rule 69.01 gives the plaintiff three options for delivering the summons, notice, and other required papers. They can go out through the standard method for serving a summons under Rule 4, through anyone the rules allow to serve a subpoena under Rule 45.03, or by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent to the defendant's last known place of residence.
Whatever method the plaintiff uses, the expense of serving the defendant counts as recoverable costs in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a plaintiff serve a defendant in an attachment or writ-of-possession case in Kentucky?
Under Rule 69.01, service can be made as prescribed in Rule 4, by a person authorized to serve a subpoena under Rule 45.03, or by certified mail, return receipt requested, directed to the defendant's last known place of residence.
Can the cost of serving an attachment notice be recovered in Kentucky?
Yes. Rule 69.01 makes those service expenses recoverable as costs.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 69.01). 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 attachment service of processwrit of possession service kentuckyCR 69.01serving a defendant in an attachment proceeding kentuckycertified mail service attachment kentucky