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Which federal court lists Franklin County
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky lists a Frankfort office at 330 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601, according to the court’s website, as of 2026. The court’s pages list Franklin County under the Frankfort docket, which is the Central Division, and they give that same West Broadway address for it. That listing does not settle where any particular dispute can be brought. Federal venue rules decide that, and some claims can be heard in state court, so an attorney should confirm the proper court before anything is filed. One rule is fixed, though: a patent claim is filed in federal court, never in a state court (28 U.S.C. 1338(a)).
Trademarks and trade secrets under Kentucky law
A Kentucky trademark or service mark is registered with the Secretary of State, which keeps a Trademarks and Service Marks division in Frankfort, and the division’s page lists its forms and laws. The mark must already be in use in Kentucky before it can be registered. A registration is effective for five years from the registration date, and it can be renewed for further five year terms by filing within six months before the term ends. The Secretary of State says that registration does not create rights, because those come from actual use, but that it gives notice across the state and may help in court (KRS 365.561 to 365.613). A state registration applies only to Kentucky. A mark that needs wider coverage can be registered federally under 15 U.S.C. 1051.
For trade secrets, the state adopted the Uniform Trade Secrets Act as KRS 365.880 to 365.900. Under it, a trade secret is information such as a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique or process. That information must get independent economic value from not being generally known or readily ascertainable by proper means, and it must be the subject of reasonable efforts to keep it secret. A claim for misappropriation must be brought within three years after the misappropriation is discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence, and a continuing misappropriation counts as one claim. If the secret relates to a product or service used in, or intended for use in, interstate or foreign commerce, the owner can also sue in federal court under 18 U.S.C. 1836(b).
Employers and research that shape local disputes
Buffalo Trace Distillery operates at 113 Great Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, and its brands include Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare and Blanton’s Single Barrel, as of 2026. If you sell under a brand name, ask a trademark attorney who owns the name and what it covers before you spend money on labels, signs or advertising.
Kentucky State University is a public land grant university at 400 East Main Street in Frankfort, and its Office of Research and Innovation handles grants and sponsored research from suites in the Julian M. Carroll Academic Services Building on campus, as of 2026. If your invention, writing or data came out of grant funded or sponsored work, ask an attorney to read the grant or sponsored research terms with you.
The Secretary of State’s Business Filings office, whose website also carries a trademarks section, is at 1025 Capital Center Drive, Suite 201, in Frankfort. The Secretary of State says trade names are not registered at the state level in Kentucky.
Deadlines that run no matter where you live
Several deadlines come from federal law and apply in Frankfort as they do anywhere else. Damages for patent infringement can be recovered only for the six years before the suit is filed (35 U.S.C. 286). A civil copyright claim must be brought within three years after it accrued (17 U.S.C. 507(b)). A United States work generally must be registered, or refused registration by the Copyright Office, before an infringement suit can be filed (17 U.S.C. 411(a)). An attorney can tell you when each clock began for your situation.
Protecting your work in Frankfort? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your next step
Write down a short timeline before you talk with anyone. Include the dates you created, shared, sold or published the work, and list every agreement that touches it, such as an employment contract, a grant award or a sponsored research arrangement. That record lets an attorney see which of the rules above could apply. For a view of the whole state, see Kentucky intellectual property attorneys. To start, you can get matched with an intellectual property attorney.
Have questions about a patent, trademark, copyright, or trade secret? Connect with an attorney.
Related Intellectual Property Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a patent infringement claim be brought in a Kentucky state court?
No. A patent claim is filed in federal court (28 U.S.C. 1338(a)). The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky lists a Frankfort office at 330 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601, as of 2026, but where a particular case can be filed is a separate question, so an attorney should confirm the court before anything is filed.
Which Kentucky office registers a state trademark?
A Kentucky trademark or service mark is registered with the Secretary of State, which keeps a Trademarks and Service Marks division in Frankfort. The mark must already be in use in Kentucky, and a state registration applies only to Kentucky.
How long does a Kentucky trademark registration last?
A registration is effective for five years from the registration date. It can be renewed for further five year terms by filing within six months before the term ends. The Secretary of State says registration does not create rights, because those come from actual use, but it gives notice across the state and may help in court.
Does Kentucky register a business’s trade name?
The Secretary of State says trade names are not registered at the state level in Kentucky.
How long do I have to bring a trade secret or copyright claim?
A Kentucky trade secret misappropriation claim must be brought within three years after the misappropriation is discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence, and a continuing misappropriation counts as one claim. A civil copyright claim must be brought within three years after it accrued (17 U.S.C. 507(b)). An attorney can tell you when your own clock started.
Take the Next Step in Your Frankfort Intellectual Property Matter
You do not have to work out the dates and rules alone. Fill out the form, and you will be connected with an attorney who can review your situation, the deadlines, and what a claim or filing may involve.
