Jefferson County Courts

Jefferson County, with an approximate population of 782,000, accounts for about 17.04% of Kentucky's total population of around 4.5 million individuals. The City of Louisville serves as the county seat. On average, the Jefferson County trial courts' yearly caseload includes 119,000 new case filings and 114,700 dispositions. The county's Circuit Court hears up to 9,000 new civil cases and 3,200 criminal cases annually, closing about 7,500 civil and 3,000 criminal cases. Additionally, the Family Court handles about 14,300 new filings and resolves 12,200 family matters. 91,000 new cases are filed at the District Court, including approximately 20,000 criminal matters, 1,000 small claims cases, 5,400 probate matters, 22,500 traffic cases, and 12,000 civil cases.

Jefferson County's trial court system is responsible for adjudicating legal matters originating within the county. Each of the trial courts in the county has the authority to hear cases that fall under its jurisdiction. Cases related to criminal, civil, family law, and probate matters in Jefferson County are adjudicated in the following courts:

• Circuit Court: It is the only county court that has general jurisdiction. The Circuit Court can adjudicate most cases, excluding those that fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of other courts.
• District Court: As the county's court of limited jurisdiction, it handles specific legal matters, such as certain civil cases, probate of wills, small claims, and traffic offenses.
• Family Court: This court is a division of the Jefferson County Circuit Court, with jurisdiction over family law matters, including marriage, divorce, paternity, and certain cases involving juveniles.

How To Access Jefferson County Court Records

The Kentucky Open Records Act permits public access to court records and other government agency records in Jefferson County, unless they are deemed confidential or sealed by the court. Typically, confidential court records such as medical records, grand jury proceedings, and records involving minors are exempt from public access.

To obtain open court records, individuals may be required to provide the case number related to the record being sought with a valid government-issued photo ID. Jefferson County court records may be looked up in any of the following ways:

Online

Jefferson County court records are available online through the Kentucky Court of Justice public court records portal. Record seekers may launch the portal and choose Jefferson County to search for court records by case number or party name. This portal provides access to publicly available court files related to civil suits, probate matters, felony criminal cases, traffic, and drug-related hearings.When searching for records by party name, users may select a specific case type for more accurate results.

Furthermore, CourtCaseFinder serves as a valuable resource for individuals to access publicly available court records in Jefferson County and other counties nationwide.

Additionally, interested persons may find court records related to federal cases adjudicated in Jefferson County using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) case locator. Registered users may search these records on the portal and access the files electronically, but they may be required to pay certain fees.

In-Person

In Jefferson County, court records are typically maintained by custodians at the courthouse where the case was filed. Each county court has a Clerk who is responsible for providing these records to individuals upon request. Generally, interested individuals may visit the Clerk's Office at the courthouse location to make such requests for case records or any information contained in them. The courthouses may also offer public access terminals that allow direct searching of court records.

Copies of court records in Jefferson County typically cost $0.50 per page, while certified copies are $0.50 per page, with an additional $5.00 for certification.

Old and Archived Court Records

Court records older than 50 years that are not available online or at the Jefferson County courthouses may be requested from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA). Interested individuals may order historic case records, including civil, criminal, probate, and similar case files, online through the KDLA Records Ordering System. Likewise, they may obtain old case files by contacting the State Archives at:

The KDLA generally maintains all types of historic court records, particularly files related to cases filed before 1978.

How To File a Case in Jefferson County

Interested persons may initiate a case in Jefferson County by filing electronically through the KYeCourts system or in person at the appropriate court clerk's office. Litigants may also file certain cases by mail if allowed by the county court. To file a case, litigants must determine the county court that has jurisdiction over the matter they intend to file. Such persons may contact the court clerk to verify if the court has the authority to rule over the matter.

Generally, local court rules require certain cases to be filed electronically, including marriage dissolution, guardianship for juveniles, medical malpractice, adoption, fraud, and some tort cases. Self-represented litigants may also file small claims cases electronically. Otherwise, litigants may file their cases conventionally at the court clerk's office.

The county courts charge certain fees for filing cases, and these fees vary depending on the type of case being filed. For civil cases, individuals may pay up to $150 at the Circuit Court and $75 at the District Court. Litigants filing small claims matters that amount to $2,500 or less may pay $30. Additionally, probate cases carry a filing fee of up to $40. Qualified plaintiffs may file a Motion for Waiver of Costs and Fees to petition the court to waive filing fees.The court will grant the petition only if the petitioner satisfies the waiver conditions.

Individuals may consider following these steps to file a court case in Jefferson County:

• Determine the type of case and the correct court to file the matter.
• Prepare the documents to be filed and obtain the appropriate court forms from the Clerk's Office or the Kentucky Court of Justice website. Anyone filing a civil case may prepare a complaint document/form that contains relevant information about the matter and the compensation or action sought from the court. The supporting documents/forms to be filed generally depend on the case type and may include exhibits, affidavits, or motions.
• File the case by submitting the completed complaint and other documents/forms electronically via the KYeCourts system, or in person at the appropriate Clerk's Office at the courthouse.
• Pay the required filing fees and other fees required to file the case. Fee waivers are available for qualified plaintiffs.

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

Across the United States, county court systems play a crucial role in delivering access to justice. Legal help and self-help resources are foundational to this access, particularly for self-represented litigants navigating civil, family, probate, or small claims matters. These resources vary by jurisdiction but commonly include self-help centers, online portals, legal aid organizations, and court-affiliated assistance programs.

Different institutions in Jefferson County offer several free or affordable resources for litigants who choose to represent themselves or those who are unable to afford an attorney. These resources or services may be provided by local courthouses, legal aid societies, pro bono panels, or other organizations that offer such assistance to the public. Litigants may consider one or more of the following legal help or self-help resources:

• Statewide Help Resources for Self-Represented Litigants
• KCOJ eCourts Help
• Access To Justice
• Kentucky Free Legal Answers
• Kentucky Access to Justice Commission Self-Representation Guide
• Kentucky Justice Online
• Statewide Free/Affordable Legal Representation
• Kentucky DPA Public Defenders
• Jefferson County Legal Self-Help Resources
• Jefferson County Legal Help Center
• Circuit Clerk Self-Help Resources
• Legal Aid Organizations (Free Legal Representation)
• Legal Aid Society (Region 2)
• State and County Pro-bono Panels
• Louisville Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
• Kentucky Bar Association

Types of Courts in Jefferson County, Kentucky

Jefferson County residents may resolve legal matters at the various courts located within the county, which include the District Court, Circuit Court, and Federal Courts. The following is a list of courts operating in the county with their jurisdictions and contact details:

Jefferson County Circuit Court

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: This court exercises jurisdiction over civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000, capital offenses, felonies, probate matters, and real estate. Additionally, Circuit Court judges have the authority to issue writs of mandamus, injunctions, and rule over appeals from other courts or administrative agencies.

Address and contact information:

Jefferson County Circuit Court

Jefferson County District Court

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: This court handles small claims, probate matters, juvenile cases, mental health, evictions, and traffic cases.

Address and contact information:

Jefferson County District Court

Jefferson County Family Court

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: This court hears domestic relations matters, such as divorces, custody and visitation, child support, domestic violence, adoption, and termination of parental rights.

Address and contact information:

Jefferson County Circuit Court - Family Court

Federal Courts in Jefferson County

The following are the federal courts in the county:

United States District Court - Western District of Kentucky

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court handles all types of legal disputes involving federal laws, the U.S. Constitution, and federal agencies.

Address and contact information:

United States Bankruptcy Court - Western District of Kentucky

Jurisdiction/Cases Heard: Federal bankruptcy cases filed by Jefferson County residents and businesses are heard in this court.

Address and Contact Information:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Jefferson County Courts