Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for Louisa, Blaine, Fallsburg, Stambaugh & Lawrence County
📍 County Seat: Louisa (pop. ~2,406) 👥 County Pop. 15,695 (2020) ⚖️ Court: Lawrence County Justice Center — 122 S. Main Cross St., Louisa 🌊 Big Sandy River • Ohio & West Virginia Border ⛏️ Eastern KY Coalfield • Louisa Fork 🏥 Three Sisters ARH • Post-Coal Transition Region
Lawrence County was established on December 14, 1821 from parts of Floyd and Greenup counties and named for Captain James Lawrence, the U.S. Navy officer who uttered the famous dying command “Don’t give up the ship!” during the War of 1812 engagement between the USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon on June 1, 1813. The county seat, Louisa, was established at the confluence of Louisa Fork and the Big Sandy River and named for Louisa, Virginia (now Louisa County). Lawrence County covers approximately 419 square miles of rugged northeastern Kentucky terrain along the Big Sandy River and its tributaries, forming Kentucky’s eastern border with West Virginia, and recorded a 2020 census population of 15,695 residents.
Lawrence County occupies Kentucky’s northeastern corner, sharing its eastern border with Wayne County, West Virginia and its southern border with Johnson and Martin counties. Like much of the Big Sandy region, the county’s economy was built substantially on coal and is navigating the post-coal transition. The county seat of Louisa sits at the confluence of the Levisa Fork and Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River — a geographically significant meeting point that made it an early trading and settlement hub. Today the county’s employment base rests on the school system, county government, ARH healthcare, and a modest commuter workforce. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Lawrence County Justice Center, 122 S. Main Cross Street, Louisa, KY 41230. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
⚓ “Don’t Give Up the Ship!” — Captain James Lawrence — Lawrence County honors Captain James Lawrence, the U.S. Navy commander whose dying words “Don’t give up the ship!” during the 1813 battle between USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon became one of the most celebrated naval slogans in American history; Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry later flew a battle flag bearing the phrase at the Battle of Lake Erie |
🌊 Big Sandy River Confluence — Kentucky’s Eastern Border — Lawrence County sits at the northeastern corner of Kentucky where the Levisa Fork and Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River converge; the Big Sandy forms the eastern boundary between Kentucky and West Virginia, making Louisa a true border town with historic cross-river commercial and social ties to Wayne County, WV |
⛏️ Big Sandy Coalfield — Post-Coal Transition — Lawrence County was part of Kentucky’s Big Sandy coalfield economy for much of the 20th century; the contraction of coal employment has reshaped the local economy, and the county is working through the same post-coal transition that characterizes much of northeastern and eastern Kentucky |
🏥 Three Sisters ARH Hospital — The Appalachian Regional Healthcare hospital serving Lawrence County is informally known as “Three Sisters” — a name derived from the three communities it historically served; it is one of the county’s largest employers and the primary healthcare provider for the region
Big Sandy Region • NE Kentucky • KY/WV Border • Big Sandy ADD
Major Employers
Three Sisters ARH Hospital, Lawrence County Schools, county/state government, remaining coal operations, commuter employment in Ashland (Boyd Co.) & Huntington WV
Eviction Court
District Court — Lawrence County Justice Center
Court Address
122 S. Main Cross St., Louisa, KY 41230
Court Phone
(606) 638-4353 (verify with clerk)
Rent Control
None — Kentucky preempts local rent control
Governing Law
KRS Chapter 383 / HB128 (2023) for leases on or after effective date
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
14-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
14-Day Notice to Cure; termination no sooner than 30 days
Month-to-Month Term.
1 Month’s Written Notice
Week-to-Week Term.
5-Day Written Notice
Eviction Filing Location
Lawrence County Justice Center — 122 S. Main Cross St., Louisa
Eviction Timeline
3–6 weeks typical after notice period
Security Deposit Cap
2× monthly rent (plus 1st month’s rent & fees)
Deposit Return
30 days with itemized deductions
Deposit Penalty
$250 or 2× amount withheld, whichever greater
Habitability Duty
Nonwaivable (KRS 383.595 / HB128)
Statute
KRS Chapter 383 — HB128 (2023 Session)
Lawrence County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Lawrence County are filed in District Court at the Lawrence County Justice Center, 122 S. Main Cross Street, Louisa, KY 41230. Phone: (606) 638-4353. Louisa is a small county seat; call ahead to verify current office hours, clerk contact, and civil hearing dates before making the trip. Street parking is available near the justice center.
Nonpayment of Rent — Notice
Under HB128 (KRS 383.660), serve the tenant a 14-day written notice to pay or vacate stating the specific termination date. Retain dated, verifiable proof of service. If the tenant pays in full within 14 days, the lease continues.
Lease Violation — Notice & Cure
For non-rent violations, serve a 14-day written notice to cure or quit specifying the exact breach. If remedied within 14 days, the lease continues. If not, termination no sooner than 30 days from original notice. Consult a Kentucky attorney for repeat violations, criminal acts, or health/safety emergencies.
Month-to-Month Termination
One full month’s written notice required (KRS 383.695). Week-to-week: 5 days’ written notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2× monthly rent. Must be held in a dedicated, separately titled bank account. Return within 30 days with itemized deductions. Penalty: $250 or 2× the withheld amount, whichever is greater. In a modest market, the $250 floor penalty is significant; document condition at move-in and move-out thoroughly.
Habitability — Nonwaivable Duty
HB128 imposes a nonwaivable habitability duty across 13 categories: structural integrity, weatherproofing, plumbing, water, heating/ventilation, electrical, pest/hazardous substances (lead, mold, asbestos), common areas, trash, floors/walls/windows, appliances, locks, and safety equipment. Respond to written maintenance notices within 14 days (5 days for essential services).
Landlord Entry — Notice
Standard entry: 24 hours’ advance notice. Routine maintenance: 72 hours’ notice. Emergency: reasonable notice. Leave written notice if tenant is absent.
Cross-Border Tenant Pool: West Virginia & Ashland
Lawrence County shares its eastern border with Wayne County, West Virginia across the Big Sandy River, and many Louisa-area residents have historic employment and family ties across the border. A commuter segment also travels northwest to Ashland in Boyd County (~40 miles via US-23) and to Huntington, WV across the river from Ashland. Verify employment at West Virginia or Ashland employers with standard documentation; Kentucky HB128 governs all Lawrence County tenancies regardless of where the tenant works.
Big Sandy River Flood Risk
The Big Sandy River and its tributaries drain Lawrence County, and low-lying properties near the confluence in Louisa and along the Levisa Fork and Tug Fork carry documented flood risk. Verify FEMA flood zone status for any riverside or creek bottom property before renting, disclose known flood risk in writing, and maintain HB128’s structural and weatherproofing habitability obligations in flood-adjacent locations.
Hollow & Creek Housing Conditions
Much of Lawrence County’s housing is sited in creek hollows with the same slope drainage, moisture infiltration, and flood exposure challenges found across northeastern Kentucky. Monitor weatherproofing, foundation drainage, and heating system reliability as ongoing HB128 habitability obligations.
Lead Paint Disclosure
For any dwelling built before 1978 — virtually all of Lawrence County’s housing stock — federal law requires written disclosure of known lead paint hazards and delivery of the EPA pamphlet before lease signing.
Rent Control
None. Kentucky does not permit local rent control.
Self-Help Eviction
Expressly prohibited (KRS 383.690). Penalty: 3× periodic rent or 3× actual damages, whichever is greater. File a Forcible Detainer at the Lawrence County Justice Center.
Kentucky URLTA applies ONLY in specific adopting counties (including Jefferson/Louisville, Fayette/Lexington, and ~20 others). Non-URLTA counties use common law forcible detainer (KRS §383.200-383.285), which may have different procedures. The 7-day nonpayment notice under §383.660(2) requires payment of the FULL amount owed - accepting partial payment may restart the notice period. Tenant can cure by paying within the 7-day period. If the same nonpayment recurs within 6 months, landlord can issue 14-day unconditional quit. Late fees: no statutory cap, but Hemlane and others report 10% industry standard. Security deposit max: 1 month per KRS §383.580(1).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Kentucky eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Kentucky attorney or local legal aid organization.
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Lawrence County market: Small post-coal Big Sandy border county. Stable base: Three Sisters ARH Hospital, Lawrence County Schools, county government. Cross-border WV ties and Ashland commuter segment. Big Sandy confluence flood risk in Louisa and creek bottoms. Lead paint disclosure required for virtually all housing stock. No rent control.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Don’t Give Up the Ship: Lawrence County Kentucky Landlord Law and HB128
On June 1, 1813, the USS Chesapeake sailed out of Boston Harbor to engage HMS Shannon in single-ship combat, and within fifteen minutes the American frigate was a shattered wreck, her commander Captain James Lawrence dying from a musket ball wound on the quarterdeck. As he was carried below, Lawrence reportedly told his officers: “Don’t give up the ship.” The ship was given up — the Chesapeake was captured and taken into British service — but the words did not die with Lawrence. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry had them embroidered on a blue battle flag, which he flew at the Battle of Lake Erie three months later when he won a decisive American victory. The phrase became one of the enduring mottoes of the U.S. Navy, and Lawrence County, Kentucky, established in 1821, was named for the man who said it.
The county seat of Louisa sits at the confluence of the Levisa Fork and Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River, at the point where Kentucky meets West Virginia across the water. The Big Sandy forms Kentucky’s northeastern border for much of its length, and Louisa has always been a border town in the practical sense — a place where the two states’ economies and social networks have overlapped across the river for as long as both sides have been populated. The 2020 census counted 15,695 residents in the county’s 419 square miles of Big Sandy watershed terrain.
A Border Economy and Cross-River Life
Lawrence County’s position on the Kentucky-West Virginia border shapes its rental market in ways that distinguish it from the purely inland counties of the Big Sandy region. The river is not a barrier so much as a connection. Wayne County, West Virginia sits directly across the Big Sandy from Louisa, and the two communities share social and commercial ties that have persisted across state lines for generations. A meaningful share of Lawrence County residents have worked in West Virginia, have family across the river, or commute to the broader Huntington-Ashland metropolitan area — the tri-state region centered on Huntington, WV and Ashland, KY that serves as the economic hub for this corner of Appalachia.
Ashland, in Boyd County roughly 40 miles northwest via US-23, offers healthcare employment (King’s Daughters Medical Center is one of the region’s largest employers), manufacturing (AK Steel/Cleveland-Cliffs has had a historic presence there), and a broader range of retail and professional services than Lawrence County itself can sustain. A commuter segment from Lawrence County travels this corridor daily. For landlords, verify employment at Ashland or Huntington employers with standard documentation; Kentucky HB128 applies to all Lawrence County tenancies regardless of where the tenant is employed.
Three Sisters ARH and the Healthcare Anchor
The Appalachian Regional Healthcare hospital serving Lawrence County carries the informal name “Three Sisters,” a designation that has persisted in local usage even as the formal name has changed over the years. It is one of the county’s largest employers and the primary source of acute medical care for a region that has no other hospital within easy distance. ARH healthcare workers — nurses, technicians, administrators, support staff — represent the most stable tenant segment in Lawrence County’s rental market. Verify employment with recent pay stubs or an ARH employer letter. Lawrence County Schools provides education employment. County and state government add public sector stability.
The Big Sandy at Louisa: Flood Risk at the Confluence
Louisa sits precisely at the confluence of the Levisa Fork and the Tug Fork — two major tributaries that together form the Big Sandy River. Confluences are beautiful geography and dangerous hydrology. When both forks are running high simultaneously, the meeting point at Louisa experiences the combined volume of two drainage systems, and the Big Sandy has flooded the town in historic events that are part of the community’s living memory. Before renting any property in Louisa’s lower elevations or along any of the county’s creek branches, verify the property’s FEMA flood zone status, check its flood history with the property owner or county records, and disclose known flood risk to prospective tenants in writing. HB128’s habitability duty covers structural integrity and weatherproofing — in a flood-adjacent location these are ongoing obligations, not one-time installations.
Filing in Louisa and HB128 Compliance
All residential evictions in Lawrence County are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Lawrence County Justice Center, 122 S. Main Cross Street, Louisa, KY 41230, phone (606) 638-4353. Louisa is a small county seat; call ahead to verify current office hours and civil hearing dates. Parking is available near the justice center on Main Cross Street. The 14-day nonpayment notice must fully expire before filing; both the 14-day cure window and 30-day minimum termination period apply for lease violations.
HB128 compliance throughout: written 14-day notice to pay or vacate; 14-day cure notice with 30-day minimum termination; one month’s written notice for month-to-month; deposits at two times monthly rent in a separate account, returned within 30 days with itemized deductions; $250 or 2x penalty; nonwaivable habitability across 13 categories; 24-hour advance entry notice; self-help eviction prohibited at three times periodic rent. Lead paint disclosure required for virtually all Lawrence County housing. Captain Lawrence told his officers not to give up the ship. A landlord who documents every step of the tenancy — the lease, the notice, the deposit accounting, the maintenance response — is in a position to follow that instruction when the situation requires it.
This guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. HB128 applies to leases made on or after its effective date; prior Kentucky law governs older leases. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Kentucky’s Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (HB128) applies to leases made on or after its effective date; prior law governs older leases. Federal lead paint disclosure requirements apply to pre-1978 housing. Big Sandy River and tributary flood zone status should be verified through FEMA flood maps. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
