Jefferson County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Situated on a land area of 380 square miles, Jefferson County, Kentucky, was created in 1780 and named after the governor of Virginia, who would later become the U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson. Its population of over 779,232 makes it the most populous county in Kentucky. Although Louisville is the county seat, Jefferson County and the city of Louisville were consolidated in 2003 to form the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government (Louisville Metro). The court system in Jefferson County comprises Circuit and District Courts. Both courts play distinct roles in meeting the legal needs of its residents.

The Jefferson County Circuit Court in Louisville has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases but typically only hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of the District Court. It hears civil cases with claims above $5,000, all felonies, capital offenses, disputed land title cases, and contested probate matters. Its Family Court Division attends to domestic relations cases, such as annulments, divorces, dependency, neglect, and domestic violence. The Jefferson County District Court in Louisville hears municipal ordinance violations, misdemeanors, traffic offenses, civil cases with claims under $5,000, preliminary hearings for felonies, and commitment to mental institutions. It also hears juvenile matters, such as delinquency and truancy.

Jefferson County has a crime rate of about 3,700 crimes per 100,000 population. The Kentucky Court of Justice's Annual Caseload data reveals that in 2023, the District Court handled 36,343 civil and 37,190 criminal cases. Similarly, the Circuit Court heard 9,492 civil and 2,759 criminal cases. A total of 10,091 domestic relations and 5,013 juvenile cases were filed in the county. The Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk is the custodian of the county's court records. The general public can request public court records from the Clerk's office in person or by mail. They can also search for nonconfidential criminal court records via the state-provided CourtNet 2.0 platform. However, certain court records, such as juvenile records, medical records, adoption records, information about jurors, and certain information about victims of sexual violence, are closed to the public for privacy or security reasons. These records are made confidential by court orders or by default under Kentucky laws and can only be accessed by approved persons or court orders.

In summary, the Jefferson County court system guarantees a seamless and effective legal process. The Jefferson County Circuit and District Courts handle cases efficiently and impartially. The county's handling of court records ensures accessibility and transparency, which boosts public trust in the judicial system. Jefferson County is a model of effective judicial management in Kentucky and is dedicated to upholding its legal commitments.