Kentucky Civil Court Records

The Kentucky court system includes four courts: the Supreme Court, the Circuit Courts, the District Courts, and the Court of Appeals.

The Kentucky Supreme Court defines rules and procedures for the administration of justice. It also hears appeals of decisions made by the Court of Appeals and, in some cases, the Circuit Court.

In this state, the Circuit Court is the top trial court. This court has original jurisdiction over capital offenses, land disputes, contested probate proceedings, civil actions, and disputes over $5,000.

On the other hand, the Kentucky District Court has limited jurisdiction over traffic offenses, misdemeanors, county and municipal ordinance infractions, and small claims under $2500.

Kentucky's intermediate appeals court is the Kentucky Court of Appeals. It hears appeals of decisions made by the Circuit Court and the District Court.

Can you get access to Kentucky Civil Court Records? Under the Kentucky Open Records Act, you have the right to see civil court records kept by state and local governments.

However, medical records, juvenile records, and confidential documents are not accessible to the public without consent.

The Kentucky Bankruptcy Records consist of court documents about bankruptcy procedures within the state.

Considered federal proceedings, federal courts with offices in different districts handle bankruptcy filing in this state.

In this state, the following are the most often filed types of bankruptcy:

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

In most cases, Chapter 11 bankruptcy is the most complex and costly bankruptcy filing in Kentucky.

When you file for bankruptcy in this state, you will make a payment plan to pay off your debts agreed upon by the creditor. The payment plan may involve expenditure cuts or consideration of alternative revenue sources.

Chapter 11 bankruptcy repayment schemes might span months or years until the debtor fulfills the creditors' agreement.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

In this type of bankruptcy, the court will sell the debtor's property and non-exempt assets.

Under this form of bankruptcy, the debtor must turn over all of their assets to the trustee, who sells them and pays off the debtor's creditors. The trustee collects a commission and pays the debtor any exempted amount.

Note, however, that school loans, tax debts, alimony, and traffic citations are ineligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Also, to qualify for this bankruptcy, you must undergo a means test to determine your financial situation.

In Kentucky, if you applied for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy within eight years, you cannot file it again.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

This kind of bankruptcy is comparable to Chapter 11 bankruptcy since it permits debtors to develop repayment schedules to satisfy debts. But it is only available to people with stable incomes.

In Kentucky, you cannot apply for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy if you filed for Chapter 7 within the last six years. You cannot also file for this sort of bankruptcy if you applied for Chapter 13 during the previous two years.

Chapter 12 bankruptcy is also in the Kentucky Bankruptcy Records, along with Chapter 11, Chapter 7, and Chapter 12.

How To Find Kentucky Bankruptcy Records?

You can go to the court during regular working hours to get hard copies of Kentucky Bankruptcy Records. You can view or copy these records at this state's Clerk's offices or bankruptcy court public access terminals.

If interested, you may obtain uncertified paper copies from the Clerk's office for $0.50 per page in person or by mail.

The public access computers also have copies of these records that you can print for $0.10 per page. For non-basic case records, a $32 search fee applies.

On the other hand, you can visit the court clerk to look for certified copies. The Kentucky Bankruptcy Court ( Eastern and Western) also accepts written requests for these records.

Lastly, you can use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). For a nominal cost, you can register at this tool to get Kentucky Bankruptcy Records electronically.

Kentucky Bankruptcy Records include debtors' financial information, case parties' information, and court details like:

• Case number
• The case's filing date
• The case's discharge and the closure date
• Type of Bankruptcy
• Attorney's name and contact information

The Kentucky Civil Court Records also include a property lien. It is a creditor's civil claim to a debtor's resources.

In this state, a property lien secures the creditor's interests by using the debtor's asset as security for a loan, financial obligation, or contractual duty.

In Kentucky, there are many different kinds of property liens, but the most common ones are:

Judgment Lien

In Kentucky, a judgment lien is often the result of a debtor's failure to comply with payment obligations following a lawsuit.

By placing this sort of lien on a debtor's property, the creditor obtains the legal right to sell it to satisfy the obligation.

But creditors cannot recover property from state homestead exemption recipients.

In Kentucky, the following individuals qualify for a homestead exemption:

• Property residents on assessment day
• Individuals older than 65
• Owners of property with liens
• Disabled people

Judgment liens are valid for a maximum of 15 years in this state.

Mortgage Lien

Mortgage liens, unlike other types of property liens, are voluntary. This lien arises when a mortgage loan borrower fails to adhere to the payment schedule.

By attaching a mortgage lien to a property, the home serves as security for the mortgage loan and as collateral for the mortgage creditor.

You can read Kentucky's Mortgage Laws to learn more about mortgage liens.

UCC Lien

A UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) lien is another form of lien that a creditor places on the personal property or business of a debtor.

In Kentucky, construction and material suppliers usually file this type of lien to collect debts.

If a debtor fails to repay a loan or satisfy other obligations, the creditor may seize the debtor's house.

If you wish to file this lien type, you may do so with the Kentucky Secretary of State.

How To Check Kentucky Property Lien Records?

Property lien records are typically available to the public in Kentucky through authorized sources.

You can get property lien records from the relevant government office for free, just like other records in the state. But usually, there are fees for making copies of these records.

In addition to searching at the county recorder's office for these records, it is possible to search property lien records online. Some offices of the county recorder have websites for this purpose.

An online lien search often shows the lienee and lienholder's names and contact information. It also shows the property's location, type of lien, filing information, status, and expiration date.

Civil driving violation records in Kentucky are non-criminal offenses that usually happen when drivers don't follow the state's traffic laws or rules.

Some examples of civil driving violations in Kentucky are the following:

• Improper turning
• Speeding
• Driving with no license
• Ignoring a red light
• Failure to use a safety belt

These offenses are punishable in Kentucky by fines and points on the offender's driver's license.

However, drivers who acquire several traffic offenses quickly may face harsher penalties, including higher insurance rates.

How To Look Up Kentucky Civil Driving Violation Records?

In Kentucky, you can ask the Driver Licensing Offices for your driving history records if you want to look up civil driving violations.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KTC) also offers a vital lookup tool for confirming traffic offenses and tickets generated within the state's borders. You can search for traffic tickets on this website by entering your identity or ticket number.

Alternatively, you can search for these records on the Kentucky State Police (KSP) website or by contacting your local county clerk's office.

The Kentucky Legal Judgment Records consist of documents containing the entire decision of a court in a civil matter.

In this state, a judgment justifies the court's ruling. It is a statement of the parties' obligations and rights depending on the facts provided during the judicial matter.

The Kentucky Revised Statutes listed various laws about issuing and carrying out legal judgments under different titles.

How To Look Up Kentucky Legal Judgment Records?

There are several ways to obtain Kentucky Legal Judgment Records if you need these documents.

You can get these documents from the state's judiciary by visiting the court that heard your case or using the Public Court Records website.

Alternatively, you can utilize the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) to obtain these records. This agency keeps court records older than 36 years, including descriptions of legal judgments.

To get Kentucky Legal Judgment Records from KDLA, visit the agency's website and read the instructions on accessing these records.

When you get these records, you can expect the following:

• Litigants' names
• Case number
• The court and judge in charge
• The facts of the case

The Kentucky Civil Court Records also include records about small claims. Prepared and presented during small claims proceedings, these documents are available to the general public in the state.

In Kentucky, the Small Claims Court only hears cases where the amount of money or property at stake is $2500 or less. Common types of cases handled by this court include the following:

• Injury to a person
• Professional negligence
• Refusing to return a property
• Not returning a security deposit
• Failure to pay back a loan

In this state, filing the form AOC-175 at the district court clerk's office is the first step in starting a small claims case.

After filing, the transcript, docket information, decisions, evidence from the parties, motions, and court orders from the proceedings will be part of the Kentucky Legal Judgment Records.

How To Look Up Kentucky Small Claims Records?

You can go to the district court clerk's office that handled your case to look up and get Kentucky Small Claims Records. District court locations in the state are available on the Kentucky Court of Justice (KCJ) court finder page.

You can also obtain these documents on the CourtNet 2.0 website of the KCJ.

A Kentucky Divorce Court Record is a collection of documents about the dissolution of lawful marriages finalized in the state.

In this state, a court will grant a divorce if both parties meet the residency criteria and have valid grounds.

The following are the three significant types of divorce documents in Kentucky:

Divorce Certificate

The divorce certificate contains the minor details of all the various legal documents concerning the divorce.

A divorce certificate is an essential document that contains details on a state-finalized divorce. In this state, the Office of Vital Statistics in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services issues this kind of divorce file.

Usually, a divorce certificate will have the following information:

• Names of the parties involved in the divorce
• Date of the divorce
• Place of the divorce

In Kentucky, divorce certificates are available to anyone who provides sufficient information for a record search and pays the necessary fees.

Divorce Decree

A divorce decree, also known as a judgment, is a legal record issued by a court that establishes the dissolution of a marriage and specifies its terms.

This type of divorce document includes all information on a divorce certificate. It also contains the parties' terms of the divorce settlement. These terms include information about:

• Alimony
• Child support
• Visitation schedules
• Child custody
• Debt obligations
• Asset division

The Family Court that heard the case issued this type of divorce paper. Also, only the parties named on the divorce decree, their immediate relatives, and their authorized legal advisors typically have access to divorce decrees in Kentucky.

Divorce Record

In Kentucky, a divorce record is the whole legal file of a marriage that has ended.

This type of divorce paper has all the same information as a divorce certificate and a divorce decree. In addition to these details, it has all other information, such as:

• Motions
• Settled financial obligations
• Judgments
• Filed evidence
• Probationary provisions
• Testimonies
• Protective orders or similar measures
• Court proceedings transcription
• Details of shared custody
• Other case parties and witness information

In this state, the court that heard the case and issued the final judgment has custody of the whole divorce record. This divorce document is also more accessible, unlike divorce certificates or decrees.

How To Look Up Kentucky Divorce Court Records?

To get copies of a Kentucky Divorce Court Record, you can contact or visit the Clerk of the Circuit Court that permitted the divorce.

When you ask for these records, keep in mind that there are fees that you must pay. The court will establish the prices, which may vary, so you must consult the court in advance to determine the current charge.

You can also write a letter to the Office of the Court Clerk to ask for divorce records. On request, you should provide details regarding the parties involved and the divorce.

Kentucky probate, also known as estate administration, settles a deceased person's legal and property matters.

In this state, the following should be subject to probate:

• Wills
• Estates
• Bonds
• Trusts

In Kentucky, the standard court-based probate process starts with filing a Petition for Probate with the Circuit Court in the jurisdiction where the person who died lived. These courts provide the appropriate forms to open a probate and handle many process tasks.

Check out this guide to learn more about probate and how it works in Kentucky. In Chapters 394 to 395 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, you can find the laws governing probate in Kentucky.

Where can you get Kentucky Probate Court Records? In this state, you can get copies of probate records from the Circuit Court Clerk in the proper county.

When seeking Kentucky Civil Court Records, the first step is to visit the courthouse that handled the matter. To find each Clerk of the Court, you may visit the Office of Circuit Court Clerk's website and pick the county of interest.

Another way to get these civil court cases in Kentucky is to go to the court's Administrative Office. You can acquire civil court records in this office for a $25 fee.

AOCFastCheck and the One-time Request portal are two more tools you can use. To request on these websites, you must first sign up to become a registered user.

On the AOCFastCheck website, you can place an order for civil court records and get the results at any time. On the other hand, the One-time Request portal lets you set a single charge and get reports by U.S. mail.