Kentucky Courts

Kentucky Courts We provide citizens equal access to justice as they exercise their constitutional rights. Justices and judges run for election on a nonpartisan basis.

The Kentucky Judicial Branch – also known as the Kentucky Court of Justice – is a four-tiered system consisting of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court and District Court. The two trial courts, Circuit Court and District Court, first hear the facts of a case and issue judgments on those facts. The two appellate courts, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, may be asked to review th

e judgment of a lower court to see if a mistake was made. The Supreme Court is the state court of last resort and the final interpreter of Kentucky law. Nearly 1.2 million court cases flow through Kentucky courtrooms each year, affecting millions of citizens. Almost every person will interact with the courts at some point, whether to obtain a driver’s license, pursue a small claims case, seek protection from domestic violence, settle an estate, legalize an adoption, finalize a divorce, file a civil case, seek justice in a criminal matter or acquire assistance on other matters. Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges and circuit judges serve eight-year terms. District judges serve for a term of four years. Judicial vacancies that occur during an unexpired term are filled by a Judicial Nominating Commission headed by the chief justice. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals have clerks of court who are appointed to their positions and are responsible for the custody, control and storage of all appellate records. At the trial court level, circuit court clerks are responsible for the custody, control and safe storage of Circuit Court and District Court records. Circuit court clerks run for office on a partisan basis and one is elected in each of Kentucky’s 120 counties for a six-year term. The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm for the state court system. The AOC provides administrative support to nearly 3,400 employees, including 404 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks, and executes the Judicial Branch budget. The Judicial Article to the Kentucky Constitution took effect in 1976 and established Kentucky’s court system of today. The article created the Judicial Branch as an independent branch of government, separate from the Executive and Legislative branches and from county and city governments. It also created the Supreme Court of Kentucky and combined the four levels of the courts to create a unified court system. The article made the chief justice the administrative head of the court system.

📋🤝 We assisted with a free workshop in London that supported 12 people on their path to a clean record! Learn more at ...
03/13/2025

📋🤝 We assisted with a free workshop in London that supported 12 people on their path to a clean record! Learn more at https://kcoj.info/BackgroundChecks

Behavioral Health Liaisons toured Eastern State Hospital, learning more about the facility and to strengthen efforts for...
03/13/2025

Behavioral Health Liaisons toured Eastern State Hospital, learning more about the facility and to strengthen efforts for supporting treatment.

🎓 Specialty Courts Region 1 celebrate graduates achieving new beginnings! Learn more about Kentucky's treatment courts a...
03/13/2025

🎓 Specialty Courts Region 1 celebrate graduates achieving new beginnings! Learn more about Kentucky's treatment courts at https://kcoj.info/SpecialtyCourts

The Supreme Court of Kentucky will hear oral arguments at 10 a.m. EDT today. Watch in person or via livestream. Learn mo...
03/13/2025

The Supreme Court of Kentucky will hear oral arguments at 10 a.m. EDT today. Watch in person or via livestream. Learn more at https://kcoj.info/SCNRMarch2025.

The Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health’s top legislative priority, SB 26, receives final passage and now awai...
03/12/2025

The Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health’s top legislative priority, SB 26, receives final passage and now awaits the governor’s signature. ✍️ This legislation ensures that disability will no longer be the sole reason to deny child placement, adoption petitions or involuntary termination of parental rights. 🤝👶
Key Highlights of SB 26:
✅ Defines “disability” in adoption and parental rights cases.
✅ Prevents denial of adoption petitions based solely on a disability.
✅ Requires a review process for placement refusals due to disability.
✅ Protects parents’ rights—disability alone cannot result in termination.

📋🤝 We assisted with a free workshop in Grayson that supported 10 people on their path to a clean record! Learn more at...
03/12/2025

📋🤝 We assisted with a free workshop in Grayson that supported 10 people on their path to a clean record! Learn more at https://kcoj.info/BackgroundChecks

Kentucky Veterans Treatment Courts are a pillar of support, offering guidance, resources and a community for veterans fa...
03/12/2025

Kentucky Veterans Treatment Courts are a pillar of support, offering guidance, resources and a community for veterans facing legal challenges. Discover more about at https://kcoj.info/SpecialtyCourts

Jury Service Alert: Todd County jurors can now sign up to receive text notifications about jury service. Text notificati...
03/12/2025

Jury Service Alert: Todd County jurors can now sign up to receive text notifications about jury service. Text notifications are live in 79 Kentucky counties. making communication simple and convenient.
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Attend in person or tune in via livestream today as the Supreme Court of Kentucky hears oral arguments at 10 a.m., 11 a....
03/12/2025

Attend in person or tune in via livestream today as the Supreme Court of Kentucky hears oral arguments at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EDT. https://kcoj.info/SCNRMarch2025

Watch in person or via livestream Wednesday and Thursday as the justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky hear March ora...
03/11/2025

Watch in person or via livestream Wednesday and Thursday as the justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky hear March oral arguments. https://kcoj.info/SCNRMarch2025

Family & Juvenile Services and Citizen Foster Care Review Board staff attended Kentucky Youth Advocates' Children’s Advo...
03/11/2025

Family & Juvenile Services and Citizen Foster Care Review Board staff attended Kentucky Youth Advocates' Children’s Advocacy Week at the Capitol.

Kentucky's Legal Help Centers are staffed by volunteer attorneys and legal professionals, providing essential legal and ...
03/11/2025

Kentucky's Legal Help Centers are staffed by volunteer attorneys and legal professionals, providing essential legal and procedural information to self-represented patrons.

Want to make a difference? Volunteer at any of our four locations across the state.
Sign up using the links below 👇

Fayette: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAAAA29AAF4C52-49496700-fayette #/

Jefferson: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAAAA29AAF4C52-49666177-jefferson #/

Kenton: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAAAA29AAF4C52-48150883-kenton #/

Warren: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAAAA29AAF4C52-49926850-warren #/

👩‍⚖️⚖️ In honor of , KCOJ is celebrating the trailblazing women of the Kentucky Supreme Court. For the first time in hi...
03/10/2025

👩‍⚖️⚖️ In honor of , KCOJ is celebrating the trailblazing women of the Kentucky Supreme Court. For the first time in history, the court has a female majority – a defining moment for our judiciary.

Each week in March, we’re spotlighting one of the four female justices who are shaping Kentucky’s highest court.

Today's spotlight is Justice Michelle M. Keller.

03/10/2025

⚠️ Protect Yourself from Scams! ⚠️
Fraudsters are targeting Kentuckians with fake arrest warrants and jury service scams. Stay informed and safeguard your personal information.
👉 Learn more at https://kcoj.info/CourtsScamAlert

🌟A big thank you to everyone who stopped by the AOC Office of Communications table at the University of Kentucky College...
03/07/2025

🌟A big thank you to everyone who stopped by the AOC Office of Communications table at the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information Spring 2025 Career and Internship Fair earlier this week.

We appreciate the students who expressed interest in our and are grateful for the invitation to participate in this event for the first time. We were impressed, and we look forward to connecting with future communications professionals!

💼Learn more about our available communications internship: https://kcoj.info/CommunicationsIntern

👩‍⚖️⚖️ In honor of , KCOJ is celebrating the trailblazing women of the Kentucky Supreme Court. For the first time in hi...
03/07/2025

👩‍⚖️⚖️ In honor of , KCOJ is celebrating the trailblazing women of the Kentucky Supreme Court.

For the first time in history, the court has a female majority – a defining moment for our judiciary. Each week in March, we’re spotlighting one of the four female justices who are shaping Kentucky’s highest court.

We begin with Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert, the first woman elected by her peers to serve as chief justice. Her leadership marks a new chapter in the court’s history. As we close out the month, we’ll take a broader look at the growing presence of women in Kentucky’s legal community, from attorneys to judges and justices across the state.

03/07/2025

The Kentucky Court of Appeals released its latest opinions today. View them on our website by selecting Court of Appeals Minutes. https://kcoj.info/COAMinutes

Address

1001 Vandalay Drive
Frankfort, KY
40601

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+15025732350

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📢 #NowHiring for multiple positions! 🔗Apply at https://kcoj.info/NowHiring #KYJobs #CourtCareers #StateCourts

⚠️ Protect Yourself from Scams! ⚠️ Fraudsters are targeting Kentuckians with fake arrest warrants and jury service scams. Stay informed and safeguard your personal information. 👉 Learn more at https://kcoj.info/CourtsScamAlert #ScamAwareness #FraudPrevention #KentuckyCourts

The Kentucky Court of Appeals released its latest opinions today. View them on our website by selecting Court of Appeals Minutes. https://kcoj.info/COAMinutes #CourtOpinions

📢 #NowHiring for multiple positions! 🔗Apply at https://kcoj.info/NowHiring #KYJobs #CourtCareers #StateCourts

The Kentucky Court of Appeals released its latest opinions today. View them on our website by selecting Court of Appeals Minutes. https://kcoj.info/COAMinutes #CourtOpinions

📢 #NowHiring for multiple positions! 🔗Apply at https://kcoj.info/NowHiring #KYJobs #CourtCareers #StateCourts

The KCOJ joins the nation in celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth! Today, we recognize our fourth and final honoree for 2025, labor leader Clara Day. #KentuckyCourts

📢 #NowHiring for multiple positions! 🔗Apply at https://kcoj.info/NowHiring #KYJobs #CourtCareers #StateCourts

The Kentucky Court of Appeals released its latest opinions today. View them on our website by selecting Court of Appeals Minutes. https://kcoj.info/COAMinutes #CourtOpinions

The KCOJ joins the nation in celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth! Today, we recognize our third honoree, Martin L. Delany, an African American writer, editor, doctor, politician and among the first Black nationalists. #KentuckyCourts

The Kentucky Court of Appeals released its latest opinions today. View them on our website by selecting Court of Appeals Minutes. https://kcoj.info/COAMinutes #CourtOpinions

⚠️ Protect Yourself from Scams! ⚠️ Fraudsters are targeting Kentuckians with fake arrest warrants and jury service scams. Stay informed and safeguard your personal information. 📲 Visit our fraud awareness webpage for: ✔️ Tips to avoid common scams ✔️ A video explaining scam tactics ✔️ Resources for reporting fraud 👉 Learn more at https://kcoj.info/CourtsScamAlert #ScamAwareness #FraudPrevention #KentuckyCourts

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