Why Kentucky Created the Legal Mail Portal — What Families and Attorneys Should Know

The portal exists because of a documented smuggling method: paper gets soaked in chemicals, mailed into a facility, then torn into smaller pieces that are sold and used inside. These chemicals can be extremely dangerous. This isn't limited to obscure lab substances. Kentucky has warned that common household chemicals - including wasp spray - can be applied to paper to turn it into contraband. That's why the portal and related mail precautions focus on the condition of the paper itself, not just what's written on it.

Precautions

• ✓ Send only documents you (or your trusted staff) generated, unless it’s an official document from a trusted source (for example: a birth certificate, death certificate, affidavit, or something similar)
• ✓ Don’t mail original documents you received from a third party unless they fall into that limited “official trusted document” category
• ✓ If you were given a third-party document to forward to your client, send a photocopy instead of the original

1. Seal the envelope yourself (or use trusted staff) - Don’t leave sealing to chance; the expectation is that you or trusted staff close it.
2. Put it directly into the mail stream without delay - Drop it into the mail promptly once it’s sealed.
3. Don’t hand it to a third party to mail - That includes giving an envelope to a client’s family member to send on your behalf.

Attorney mail has historically faced less scrutiny than other mail. That makes it a tempting target for smugglers trying to slip doctored or "recycled" paperwork into a facility. The Legal Mail Portal closes that gap by verifying attorney mail. A key piece of that verification: attorney registration. Attorneys must upload proof of licensure in good standing (an image or PDF from their Bar Association). This extra step confirms who's sending legal mail and reduces the risk of contraband slipping through under the cover of privileged communication.

For families, the takeaway is straightforward: don't try to "help" by becoming the middleman for legal mail. If an attorney hands you an envelope to mail or asks you to forward paperwork, that creates exactly the kind of handoff Kentucky is warning against. When paperwork needs to reach your loved one, the safer approach is for the attorney (or trusted staff) to seal the envelope and place it directly into the mail stream. If an attorney receives documents from someone else, Kentucky's guidance is to send a photocopy rather than the original - unless it's one of the limited official documents that should go as an original.

If you come across paper that's discolored or looks like it was soaked or sprayed with something, don't send it into a prison. Kentucky specifically warns that household chemicals (including wasp spray) can turn paper into contraband. Handle suspicious paper with care - and keep it out of the mail.

• ✓ Don’t mail it - keep it out of any envelope headed to a facility
• ✓ Isolate the paper and avoid unnecessary handling
• ✓ If you need to send information to your loved one or client, use a clean photocopy or newly printed pages that you control from start to finish
• ✓ For legal mail, don’t pass envelopes through family or other third parties; have the sender seal it and put it directly into the mail stream

1. Open the Legal Mail Portal in a web browser - Use the portal URL for jail_id=2516.
2. Use a regular device and internet connection - No special software is required; a modern browser on a computer, tablet, or phone is enough.
3. Complete attorney verification (attorneys) - During registration, upload proof of licensure in good standing (an image or PDF from your Bar Association).