Kentucky Court Records

Kentucky operates under a unified, four-tiered court system, which was established by the state's 1975 Judicial Article and further expanded in 2002 with the formal addition of family courts. This structure includes the supreme court, court of appeals, circuit courts, and the district courts, each with its own jurisdiction and responsibilities. These courts handle over 800,000 cases annually.

At the top of the court system in the state is the supreme court, the commonwealth's highest court and final legal authority. The supreme court not only rules on cases of significant legal importance but also oversees the rules of procedure for all state courts and sets standards for judicial and attorney conduct.

Beneath the supreme court is the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which handles appeals from circuit and district courts. When a party is dissatisfied with a lower court's decision, they may petition the court of appeals to review the trial for legal or procedural errors. Panels of three judges review cases and issue rulings that may, in some cases, be further appealed to the supreme court.

The circuit court serves as Kentucky's court of general jurisdiction and is the highest-level trial court in the state. It hears civil cases involving more than $5,000, capital offenses and felonies, land title disputes, and contested probate matters. The circuit court also comprises a specialized family court division, created to handle legal matters involving family relationships. Family court judges oversee cases such as divorce, child custody, adoption, domestic violence, and child neglect, providing judicial oversight for sensitive and complex family-related issues.

The district court serves as the entry-level court and handles less serious matters. These include juvenile cases, misdemeanors, traffic violations, probate of wills, small claims up to $2,500, and civil disputes involving $5,000 or less. The district court also conducts arraignments and preliminary hearings in felony cases, as well as hearings related to mental health commitments and domestic violence protective orders.

What Are the Types of Court Records In Kentucky?

Courts in Kentucky maintain a variety of records that may be grouped under different categories, such as case information, transcripts, dockets, pleadings, orders, judgments, and schedules. These records may be generated when defendants file cases or in the documentation of key events and actions undertaken during legal proceedings. Each Kentucky court has a clerk whose duties include maintaining the records filed and generated in that court.

Kentucky courts maintain the following specific records:

• Kentucky Supreme Court
• Opinions and Rulings: Final decisions on appeals involving constitutional issues or significant legal questions.
• ​Case Dockets: Comprehensive listings of filings, motions, and orders for cases under the Court's review.
• Attorney and Judicial Disciplinary Records: Proceedings and outcomes related to ethics violations and professional misconduct.
• ​Administrative Orders and Rules: Issuances that govern the operation of courts and legal practice throughout Kentucky.
• ​Petitions for Writs of Certiorari: Requests for the Court to review decisions from the Court of Appeals or lower courts.
• Kentucky Court of Appeals
• Appellate Case Dockets: Records of all appeals filed, including procedural steps, briefs, and rulings.
• Published Opinions and Memorandum Decisions: Legal explanations and judgments issued in appeal cases.
• Motions and Legal Briefs: Documents outlining each party's legal arguments in an appeal.
• Oral Argument Summaries or Transcripts: Available for cases in which the court hears verbal arguments from attorneys.
• ​Kentucky Circuit Courts
• Criminal Records: Includes records of felony charges, indictments, trials, convictions, and sentencing.
• ​Civil Litigation Records: Encompasses lawsuits involving contracts, tort claims, property disputes, and judgments.
• Probate and Estate Case Files: Wills, estate settlements, guardianship, and conservatorship matters.
• Family Law Appeals: Appeals from family court decisions, including divorce and child custody cases.
• Kentucky Family Courts
• Divorce and Separation Records: Includes petitions, final decrees, and related property settlements.
• Child Custody and Support Orders: Documents determining parental rights, visitation, and financial obligations.
• Juvenile Justice Records: Non-public proceedings for juvenile delinquency or status offenses.
• Adoption and Termination of Parental Rights: Some of these are confidential and sealed by court order.
• ​Kentucky District Courts
• Traffic and Misdemeanor Records: Speeding, DUI, reckless driving, and minor criminal offenses.
• ​Small Claims Cases: Civil disputes involving claims up to $2,500.
• Evictions and Landlord-Tenant Disputes: Residential eviction proceedings and rulings.
• Local Ordinance Violations: City code violations such as noise complaints, curfew, and disorderly conduct.

Are Kentucky Court Records Public?

Court records are generally considered public records in Kentucky following the Kentucky Open Records Act (KORA). KORA governs access to public records in the state and is codified under KRS 61.870 to KRS 61.884. Despite the provisions of KORA, some court records remain inaccessible to the public as they are exempt under other legal provisions or according to a court order. Some exempt records include juvenile records, adoption records, mental health and involuntary commitment records, grand jury proceedings, protective orders, certain family court proceedings, and expunged or sealed cases.

Some records are sealed by Kentucky courts for reasons such as protecting minors, victims of certain crimes, or sensitive personal information.

How Do I Search Kentucky Court Records?

Kentucky's CourtNet 2.0 is a statewide portal that the public may use to find court case information online. The portal provides access to civil and criminal case records from all counties in the state. To use this portal:

• Visit the CourtNet 2.0 portal
• Select your search option (Search by case or Search by party or business).
• Provide the relevant search information. When performing a search by case, you must provide a county name and the case number of the record you need. If you are using the search by party option, you must provide at least one of the following combinations:
• Last Name (three characters minimum) and Birth Date; or
• Last Name (three characters minimum) and First Name (three characters minimum); or
• DLN (Driver's License Number); or
• SSN (Not available to all users)

If you are using the search by business option, you must provide the county and business name.

Dockets of the Kentucky Court of Justice may also be searched using the KCOJ Docket Search tool. This tool provides access to the dockets of the circuit and district courts in all counties in the state. To use the tool, select the county, the division (circuit or district), and a date to obtain information about the court dockets for that specific court and date.

How To Retrieve Court Records Offline

To obtain Kentucky court records offline, you must visit the court where the case was filed in person to make a request. The state allows the public to request various records from the Court of Justice and the AOC (Administrative Office of the Courts).

Court case records up to 15 years old are only available from the clerk's office where the record was filed. The state courts website provides contact information for clerks of the district courts, circuit courts, the court of appeals, and the Supreme Court of Kentucky.

If you want case records aged between 15 and 35 years, you may submit a records request form to the state via the state.records@ky.gov email or call the State Records Center at (502) 564-3617. Records submitted via this method must include details about the case number and locator number, which may be obtained from the office of the clerk of the circuit court in the county where the case was handled.

Court case records aged 36 or more years may be obtained from the KDLA (Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives) by emailing kdla.archives@ky.gov or by calling the Department at (502) 564-1787.

Note that a standard copy of a court record obtained from the office of the clerk typically costs $0.50 per page, while certification is usually charged at $5 per document. The processing time for requests can vary based on the age of the record, the complexity of the requests, and the workload of the clerk's office. Simple requests may be fulfilled immediately or within a few hours, while more detailed or extensive requests may take several days.

If you want a judicial administrative record, submit an email request to the Administrative Office of the Courts via OpenRecords@kycourts.net. Typically, the AOC responds within three business days with its decision to deny or comply with the request.

Can I Seal or Expunge a Kentucky Court Record?

Expungement in Kentucky refers to a legal process whereby an arrest, charge, or conviction is removed from a person's record, treating the offense as if it never occurred. On the other hand, sealing restricts public access to certain criminal records but does not erase them. Sealing in Kentucky generally applies to juvenile records or specific civil cases.

Kentucky offers expungement in limited cases. For instance, the state offers automatic expungement after 30 days for records related to cases that were dismissed with prejudice or acquitted (excluding traffic cases) on or after July 15, 2020. Also, the state allows felony charges not resulting in an indictment, some non-violent misdemeanors, and certain Class D felonies to be expunged. However, there are certain waiting periods before individuals may petition for expungement. For instance, if you have a felony charge not leading to an indictment, you must wait six months, while if you are convicted for non-violent misdemeanors and class D felonies, you must wait five years after completing your probation or sentence before applying for an expungement.

Note that sex offenses, serious felonies, and crimes against children are ineligible for expungement. Due to the complex and changing nature of expungement laws in Kentucky, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced expungement attorney in the state to verify your eligibility before applying for an expungement.

You may apply for expungement in Kentucky in the following ways:

• Obtain an Expungement Certification: To begin the process, register on the designated expungement certification website using a valid email address, which will be verified during registration. Complete the online request form and pay the $40 fee using accepted payment methods, including major credit and debit cards. Once notified via email, log in to the site to download your certification packet. Finally, file the certification documents along with the expungement petition at the office of the circuit court clerk in the county where the original charge occurred.

• An expungement certification may be obtained in person via drive-thru at the AOC - 1001 Vandalay Drive, Frankfort. Alternatively, applicants may submit an expungement certification request form and a $40 payment by check or money order, made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer at:

  Records Unit

  Administrative Office of the Courts

  1001 Vandalay Drive

  Frankfort, KY 40601

• Complete the Required Form: Once the expungement certification is returned, obtain and complete the appropriate form: Application to Expunge Felony Conviction, Petition for Expungement (for dismissal, acquittal, or failure to indict), and Petition for Expungement (for misdemeanor, violation, or traffic infraction conviction).
• File the Completed Form: Submit the completed form to the office of the circuit court clerk in the county where the conviction took place. Attorneys may also file the motion electronically. Note to attach the certification to the application and list any agencies that may have records related to the arrest, charges, or conviction before submitting the application. An initial non-refundable filing fee of $50 is required when submitting the application.
• Wait for Prosecutor's Response: The prosecutor has 60 days to file an objection. If there is an objection, the court will schedule a hearing and send notification.
• Court Decision: If no objection is made, the judge may grant the expungement without a hearing. If a hearing is held, the court will decide whether to approve the expungement.
• Final Payment and Record Removal: If the expungement application is approved, a final expungement fee of $250 must be paid by the applicant. Payments can be made in installments, but the expungement process is not finalized until the full amount is paid. Once paid, the court and all listed agencies will remove the records.

How To Search Federal Court Records in Kentucky

The two federal courts in Kentucky (the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky) hear cases over which jurisdiction has been granted by federal statute or the United State Constitution. These include civil, criminal, and bankruptcy cases.

Records of these courts may be obtained online through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). This system provides access to case and docket information from all federal courts, including those in Kentucky. To use the PACER system:

• Visit the PACER website.
• Create a free PACER account.
• Once logged in, you can search by case number, party name, or other criteria.

Note that PACER charges $0.10 per page, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. However, if your total usage in a quarter is under $30, the fees are waived.

If you prefer to access records in person or need documents that are not available electronically, you can visit the clerk's office of the relevant federal court. At the clerk's office, you may request to view or copy physical or digital case files. There may be copying fees, usually around $0.50 per page, and certification fees if you want official certified copies.

How To Get Kentucky Court Records Online for Free?

You may obtain Kentucky court case records online for free via the CourtNet 2.0 portal. This portal provides access to case records of courts in all counties in the state. In addition, some public Kentucky court records may be obtained online for free via third-party services such as PeopleRecords.us.