Background Check Error Lawsuits in Louisville

Louisville has a local fair-chance hiring rule. In 2014, the Louisville Metro Council passed a ban-the-box ordinance, now Louisville Metro Code § 112.30. Louisville Metro Government and vendors that supply $5,000 or more in goods or services to the city may not ask about criminal convictions on the initial job application, with exceptions for some sensitive jobs. An applicant who gets a vendor application with the question may file a complaint with the Human Relations Commission within 30 days. The rule does not cover private employers that do no business with the city.

Renters face screening too. In 2020, Metro Council amended its fair housing ordinance to add arrest history, some non-violent criminal convictions and lawful source of income. In 2024, the Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 18 over the governor's veto, which bars local rules that stop landlords from turning down federal housing assistance. Whatever local rules apply, tenant and employment screening companies must follow reasonable procedures for accuracy (15 U.S.C. 1681e(b)). For most reports, arrests and other non-conviction records older than seven years may not be reported (15 U.S.C. 1681c). An employer must give a copy of the report before taking adverse action (15 U.S.C. 1681b(b)(3)).

Federal FCRA cases are filed in the Western District of Kentucky in Louisville for Jefferson County and nearby Kentucky counties, in the Southern District of Indiana in New Albany for the Indiana side, and in the Eastern District of Kentucky for Shelby and Henry counties.

Where Louisville FCRA cases are filed

FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from Louisville are heard in 3 federal districts:

Western District of KentuckyJefferson, Bullitt, Oldham, Nelson, Meade and Spencer counties in Kentucky. Courthouses: Louisville.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
Southern District of IndianaClark, Floyd, Harrison and Washington counties in Indiana (New Albany Division). Courthouses: New Albany.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
Eastern District of KentuckyShelby and Henry counties in Kentucky. Courthouses: Frankfort.Filed with local or cooperating counsel

Our attorneys are licensed in Texas, California, and Georgia. Where they aren't admitted in your local federal court, we work with local or cooperating counsel who are. You may also be able to sue where the company that reported you is based, in a court where our attorneys are admitted:

Checkr: HQ in N.D. California
First Advantage and Sterling: HQ in N.D. Georgia
RealPage: HQ in N.D. Texas

Which court is right depends on your facts. We'll tell you at your free case review.

Local and state rules in Louisville

Louisville Metro ban-the-box ordinance (Louisville Metro Code § 112.30 (Ord. No. 46-2014, approved Mar. 25, 2014; amended by Ord. No. 128-2024))
Louisville Metro Government may not ask about convictions until an applicant is found otherwise qualified, and vendors supplying $5,000 or more in goods or services to Metro Government may not put a criminal history question on their initial job applications. Police, fire, corrections, emergency services, senior leadership and some cash-handling, confidential-data and child-contact jobs are excepted. An applicant may file a complaint with the Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission within 30 days of receiving an application that asks the question. Read it
Louisville Metro fair housing ordinance, arrest and conviction history (Louisville Metro Code §§ 92.02-92.04 (Ord. No. 146-2020, approved Dec. 9, 2020))
Owners, landlords, brokers and lenders in Jefferson County may not refuse to rent or sell housing, or set different terms, because of a person's arrest history or conviction history. Section 92.04 lists exceptions, including lifetime sex-offender registration, listed violent offenses, felony arson and criminal mischief, and records that bar federally assisted housing. Owner-occupied two-family buildings and single rooms in owner-occupied homes are also exempt. Read it

State laws also apply: see Background Check Error Lawsuits in Indiana and Background Check Error Lawsuits in Kentucky.

Common background check errors

Someone else's criminal or eviction record matched to you by name
Dismissed, sealed or expunged cases still reported
Charges reported as convictions, or misdemeanors as felonies
The same case listed several times
Eviction filings reported without the dismissal or outcome

Learn how these cases work on our background check lawsuits page, or read our lawsuit guides for Checkr, Sterling, HireRight, First Advantage, RealPage, SafeRent, RentGrow and TransUnion Rental Screening.

Frequently asked questions

Does Louisville's ban-the-box law apply to every employer in the city?

No. The 2014 ordinance covers Louisville Metro Government and vendors doing more than $2,500 in business with the city. Other private employers are not covered by it. The FCRA still applies to any employer that uses a background check company.

A Louisville landlord denied me because a screening report showed someone else's criminal case. Can I do something?

Yes. You can ask the screening company for your file and dispute the record, and the company must reinvestigate. Reporting another person's record may violate the FCRA's accuracy requirement. You may be able to recover damages if the company did not use reasonable procedures.

I applied for a job in Clarksville, Indiana. Does Louisville's ordinance protect me?

Louisville's ordinance applies to Louisville Metro Government and its vendors, not to Indiana employers in general. Federal FCRA rights apply on both sides of the river. Before an employer acts on a background check, it must give you a copy of the report and a summary of your rights.

How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in Louisville?

FCRA deadlines are the same everywhere: generally two years from when you discover the violation, and no more than five years from when it happened (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). Waiting can cost you the claim.

Sources

Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.