The United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by jury in criminal prosecutions. In civil lawsuits (disputes over money, property, and other non-criminal matters), state constitutions provide for the right to trial by jury—but this right may be limited to certain types of claims. And in order to be entitled to a trial by jury in a civil matter, a party generally must file a written request for a jury trial and pay a jury fee a reasonable time before trial.
In Kentucky, the right to a trial by jury in criminal prosecutions is enshrined in both the United States Constitution and the Kentucky Constitution. For civil lawsuits, the Kentucky Constitution also guarantees the right to a jury trial, but this right is typically limited to certain types of disputes, such as those involving legal rights rather than equitable remedies. To exercise the right to a jury trial in a civil case, a party must usually make a formal request for a jury trial by filing a written demand. This demand must be filed within a specific time frame as dictated by the Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure, typically no later than ten days after the last pleading directed to such issue. Additionally, the party requesting a jury trial may be required to pay a jury fee. If the procedures and timelines are not followed, the right to a jury trial may be waived.