Kentucky Court Case Lookup

A court case in the commonwealth of Kentucky is a legal action taken by individuals seeking a resolution to a dispute. Typically, a case that can be civil or criminal is handled by a court. The Kentucky court system is divided into Appellate Courts (the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals) and Trial Courts (Circuit Court and District Court). Court cases are public records per the Kentucky Open Records Act. This makes it readily available to members of the public.

Kentucky court case lookup can be done online or in person at the Kentucky Court of Justice (KCOJ) office. The Office has an online tool where requesters can access court case information throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky for free.

Alternatively, inquirers can visit the court with jurisdiction over the case to retrieve court case information. In-person requesters would be required to provide basic information (like case number and case party name) about the court case to facilitate the search.

Are Court Cases Public Record in Kentucky?

Yes, court cases are public records according to Kentucky Open Records Act. As such, anyone can access court cases not legally exempt from disclosure. For instance, adoption, juvenile, and guardianship records are restricted to a selected few. Also, the public cannot access a court case containing personal information whose disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

Can I Get Kentucky Court Case Documents Online?

Yes, the Kentucky Court of Justice has a Find a Case tool that individuals can use to get court case documents online. To search for public court case records, requesters would have to click the reCAPTCHA square checkbox and conduct a search by case, party/business, or citation. To conduct a case search, requesters must select the county where the case was filed and provide the case number in the appropriate search box. A name search requires that the user select the party category, case category, and the county in which the case was filed and provide the case party’s first and last name, driver's license number, or date of birth. To conduct a search by citation, the requester must provide the year, control number, and type.

The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals also have a special online tool called C-Track Public Access, where public users can access appellate cases filed with the Kentucky Court System. A search can be conducted by case, document, trial court, or party. Search results typically reveal:

Case summary, including case number, title, classification, filed date, case status, status date, and court.
Docket entries, including filed date, description, comments, and due date
Case parties detail, including role, name, alias, pro se, and attorneys
Trial court information, including case number, court name, and decisions

Requesters who might find it challenging to assess court case documents online can contact the court with jurisdiction over the case.

How to Conduct a Kentucky Court Search by Name

A Kentucky resident can conduct a Kentucky court search by name online in two ways. Firstly, they can use the Find a Case tool available on the Kentucky Court of Justice website. This involves clicking on the “Search by Party/Business” link. Requesters searching by the business must provide county and business name. Those searching by case party name must provide one of the following combinations to search by case party names:

Last name and birth date
Last name and first name
Drivers license number
SSN (Not available to all users)

Secondly, the C-Track Public Access tool on the appellate court websites can be used to conduct a Kentucky court search by name. All that is required is to click on the Party Search menu and search for case information by last name or first name. A case number can be provided to narrow the search. Alternatively, an inquirer can visit the court to access court case information by providing the names of the case parties. The Court Staff may request that a search and document fee be paid for in-person requests.

What is a Court Case Number?

A court case number is an alphanumeric number assigned to a civil or criminal case that allows easy and unique reference to such a case. Every court filing and document filed in Kentucky Courts carries a case number. The number is usually retained for every matter relating to the case. The case number only changes if the case party files another case. A Kentucky case number provides basic information (like case year and case type) about a case. It allows for uniform access to case information within the Kentucky court system.

How to Conduct a Case Number Search in Kentucky

A case number search can be done online or in person at the court with jurisdiction over the case. Requesters can either use the Find a Case tool provided by the Kentucky Court of Justice or C-Track Public Access provided by the Appellate Courts. Here is how to conduct a case number search on the Court of Appeals page:

On the Court of Appeals page, click on Case Information
Click on “Continue as a Public User” on the C-Track Public Access page
Click on the “Case Search” link
Type the party’s case number in the search box

Users would be taken directly to the case information of the party with the case number. Click on the case number link to view extensive information regarding the case. Alternatively, a requester can visit the court where a case was filed to conduct a search by case number. They may be required to pay a search and document fee.

Kentucky Court Records Lookup

The major ways to conduct Kentucky court records lookup is online or in person. Online requesters can use the online tools the Kentucky Court of Justice or the Appellate Courts provides. Both online platforms allow requesters to search for case information by case and name. Other search options like citation, document, and the trial court are available. An individual can also opt to visit the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county in the case was filed during business hours to retrieve information about the case. A fee will be required to retrieve copies of court records, but there will be no charges for viewing them.

How to Remove Court Cases From Public Record in Kentucky

The process of removing criminal court cases from public records differs from civil court cases. For instance, criminal cases dismissed with prejudice/acquitted on or after July 15, 2020, are usually expunged automatically in 30 days. The defendant does not need to take any action for this to occur. The expungement order will be distributed to the arresting agency, defendant or their attorney, Kentucky State Police, local jail, and county attorney/commonwealth attorney. The defendant must notify the court within 60 days of expungement if they want the order sent to agencies other than the previously mentioned ones. Defendants can file a written objection within 30 days of the dismissal/acquittal if they do not want their criminal records to be expunged.

Per KRS 431.073, most defendants with Class D felony convictions can request their criminal cases be removed from public records if they are eligible. However, requests can only be made five (5) years after the completion of the sentence or successful completion of the probation or parole. Here is how a Class D felony offender can have their records removed from public records:

Request an expungement certification online, by mail (download the Expungement Certification Request Form), or in person from the Administrative Office of the Courts. A $40 payment must be made to get this certification.
Once the requester gets the expungement certification, they must fill out the Application to Vacate and Expunge Felony Conviction form and file it with the Office of the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the conviction occurred. An attorney can help the offender electronically file the felony expungement motions.
A filing fee of $50 and an expungement fee of $250 must be paid to complete the expungement process.
A hearing will be scheduled if the prosecutor objects to the expungement, but an order can be issued without a hearing if there is no objection.
If the request is granted and all necessary fees have been paid, the court will issue an expungement order.

Upon issuing the expungement order, the court and other agencies will delete or remove the offender’s criminal records from their database. This cause such information to not appear when a public record search is conducted.

How to Check a Court Case Status in Kentucky

The process of checking a case status in Kentucky is similar to a court case search. When a court case search is done, requesters can see the status of the case, especially if the search is done online. A court case status search can be conducted online or in person. Online requests can be made via the C-Track Public Access tool. A search can be done by case, document, trial court, or party. Regardless of how the search is done, the requester would see the case status when the search result is displayed.

Conversely, a requester can just visit the Office of the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the case was filed to inquire about the status of a case. The court staff will ask the inquirer to provide information about the case, like the case party name or number. Then a search fee would be requested. The search can be done electronically via the office computer or manually.

How to Find Supreme Court Decisions in Kentucky

One must visit the Supreme Court page on the State Court of Justice to find Supreme Court opinions in Kentucky. Then click on the Supreme Court Case Information on the left section of the page. Click on the Opinion Search tool and conduct a search by case number or opinion filed dates.

What Percentage of Court Cases Go to Trial in Kentucky?

In 2021, the Kentucky Court of Justice (KCOJ) annual statistics revealed that out of the 17,645 offenders charged with felony convictions in Kentucky Circuit Courts, only 6.82% went to trial, and the remaining 93.19% had no trials. That same year, only 5.02% of the 31,156 defendants charged with felony cases went to trial, and the remaining 94.96% had no trials.

How Long Does a Court Case Last in Kentucky?

The timeframe of a court case differs by various factors like case type, court, and the nature of the case. For Example, a Kentucky divorce case cannot be finalized less than 60 days from the initial filing date.

How to File a Case in Court in Kentucky

Kentucky residents would have to fill out the necessary forms for their cases and file them at the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the Kentucky county where the case will be handled. These forms can be downloaded online on the Kentucky Court of Justice website or collected at the Office of the Circuit Court Clerk. The requesters must pay the necessary filing fees before case numbers are assigned to the forms. Those who cannot afford the filing fees can request fee waivers.

What Does It Mean if a Court Case Was Resolved Before the Trial Date?

This means that the case parties have decided to use alternative methods to settle their disputes outside of the courtroom. Due to the rising cost of litigation, delays, and burgeoning court queues, most people prefer alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods instead of trial. Common types of ADR for court cases are:

Mediation: The case parties will get a mediator (usually a neutral third party) to help them reach a mutually acceptable dispute resolution. The major role of the mediator is to help the parties communicate their difference so they can find their own solution to them. The mediator does not decide the solution to the dispute on behalf of the parties. Rather, they allow the parties to control the outcome.
Neutral evaluation: An evaluator gives an opinion on the best method to resolve a dispute after listening to the case parties present their case. Usually, the evaluator is an expert in the subject matter, but their opinion is not binding. The case parties can use an evaluator’s opinion as a basis to try to negotiate dispute resolution.
Arbitration: The case parties will present their case (arguments and evidence) in front of a neutral person (the arbitrator) who will decide the outcome of the dispute. If the case parties decide not to go to trial and agree to accept the arbitrator's decision as final, the arbitration becomes binding. In the case of nonbinding arbitration, the case parties can choose to request a trial if they reject the arbitrator's decision.
Plea bargain: This is an agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor where the defendant chooses to plead guilty to all or some of the charges against them in exchange for reducing the defendant's punishment.