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City forms and the federal court list for Jefferson County
The City of Middletown has its city hall at 11803 Old Shelbyville Road, Middletown, KY 40243, and the city’s website offers business license and occupational tax forms and online payment. Those forms deal with local licensing and tax.
Jefferson County appears on the court’s county list under the Louisville Division of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, and 601 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202 is the address the court’s pages show for it.
What can I register with Kentucky for a brand name?
For a brand name, Kentucky offers registration of a trademark or service mark through the Secretary of State, which keeps a Trademarks and Service Marks division in Frankfort. The mark must already be in use in Kentucky before it can be registered. A state registration is effective for five years from its date and may be renewed for further terms of five years by filing in the six months before a term ends. Its reach stops at the state line, because it applies inside Kentucky. The Secretary of State also says registration does not create rights, since those come from actual use, but it gives notice across the state and may help in court.
Business filings and assumed names with the Secretary of State
This page lists what could be confirmed from official pages, so it is not a full directory of local help. One office can be named with confidence for a founder, and it is the Business Filings division of the Secretary of State in Frankfort. LLCs, corporations and other entities are formed there, most filings can be made online, and an annual report is due by June 30 each year.
A business that uses a name other than its exact legal name files a certificate of assumed name. An entity files with the Secretary of State and then files a stamped copy with the county clerk where its registered agent is located. An entity that has no registered agent and no principal office in Kentucky files only with the Secretary of State. An individual files with the county clerk of the county of the principal place of business instead. The assumed name lasts five years and can be renewed in the six months before it ends. Kentucky does not register trade names at the state level, the Secretary of State says.
Noncompetes and trade secrets in Kentucky
Kentucky has a narrow statute on one kind of noncompete: KRS 216.724 bars a health care services agency from restricting the job opportunities of its temporary direct care staff. An attorney should confirm the current rule before you sign or rely on a noncompete.
Kentucky treats a trade secret as information such as a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique or process that gets independent economic value from not being generally known or readily ascertainable by proper means, and that is the subject of reasonable efforts to keep it secret. Kentucky’s trade secret statute, KRS 365.880 to 365.900, is the state’s version of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act.
Protecting your work in Middletown? Get matched with an attorney now.
How long do I have to act?
A trade secret claim under the Kentucky statute 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 (KRS 365.890).
What should I gather before I speak with a lawyer?
- The dates on which you created, shared, sold or published the work.
- Any agreement that touches the work, such as an employment or contractor agreement.
- Any registration papers you already hold, whether a Kentucky mark, an assumed name certificate or a federal filing.
- A note of who you believe copied or used the work, and when you first noticed.
Starting with the intake form
The intake form on this page is the starting point. Fill it in with the dates and papers above in hand, and an attorney can then tell you how the deadlines and registrations described here apply to your situation. To start, you can get matched with an intellectual property attorney.
Facing an infringement dispute in Middletown? Find out where your matter stands.
Related Intellectual Property Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Middletown offer business license forms online?
The city’s website offers business license and occupational tax forms and online payment, and it lists the city hall at 11803 Old Shelbyville Road, Middletown, KY 40243.
Which court division does the federal court list for Jefferson County?
The court’s county list places Jefferson County under the Louisville Division of the Western District of Kentucky, with 601 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202 shown for it.
Does a Kentucky trademark registration give me rights across the country?
No. A Kentucky registration applies inside Kentucky. The Secretary of State says rights come from actual use, although registration gives notice across the state and may help in court.
Does Kentucky register trade names?
The Secretary of State says trade names are not registered at the state level in Kentucky. A business using a name other than its exact legal name files a certificate of assumed name, which lasts five years and can be renewed in the six months before it ends.
Is there a Kentucky statute on noncompetes for temporary health care staff?
Yes, a narrow one. KRS 216.724 bars a health care services agency from restricting the job opportunities of its temporary direct care staff. An attorney should confirm the current rule before you sign or rely on a noncompete.
Talk to an Attorney About Your Middletown Matter
The rules on this page are the same statewide, but what they mean for your matter depends on the facts. Use the form to be matched with an attorney who can look at your situation and your dates.
