Bullitt County Court Records

Bullitt County court records refer to the official writings, recordings, and materials generated from legal proceedings held within the jurisdiction. Otherwise called court case records, these documents are invaluable for different reasons, including providing a historical account of the county's legal cases, facilitating public transparency in judicial matters, and establishing a foundation for preserving legal precedents.

The Bullitt County Circuit Court Clerk's Office serves as the primary custodian of Bullitt County court records and provides access where required. Case records that can be retrieved from the Clerk's Office include summons, dockets, complaints, transcripts, judgments, affidavits, exhibits, orders, and motions.

Are Court Records Public in Bullitt County?

Yes. Courts in Bullitt County maintain a presumption of openness with regard to case and administrative records in their custody, together referred to as the "court records". Case records, being the primary focus of this piece, are generally accessible to the public under Kentucky's Open Records Law (KRS 61.870 to 61.884). This law affects all public agencies in Kentucky, including the Bullitt County courts.

Under the Kentucky Open Records Law, anybody can request to inspect or duplicate Bullitt court records. Requesters do not need to state their reasons for seeking access or provide an ID to verify their identities. However, certain documents or information can only be seen or disseminated upon court order or as directed by law. Examples include:

• Records protected by attorney-client privilege or some other form of legal privilege
• Records relating to juveniles
• Records sealed by court order
• Records whose disclosure would jeopardize a person's right to a fair trial
• Sensitive personal, financial, and business information, including trade secrets, social security numbers, and bank statements
• Records deemed confidential under federal or state law

(The Kentucky Supreme Court's Open Records Policy governs access to administrative records.)

Bullitt County Court Records Search

Members of the public have various means to conduct a court records search in Bullitt County. A person residing in Bullitt may submit an oral or written request at a custodian's physical location during regular business hours. One may also send a request letter to an office's designated fax, email, or mailing address, depending on the option available. Alternatively, online access may be an option for those who cannot visit or mail/email/fax correspondence to a custodian's office.

Although it has been noted that the Bullitt County Circuit Court Clerk's Office is the primary keeper of court records, it is crucial to indicate that the age of a case generally determines where a Bullitt court case records request may be submitted:

• Case Records Up to 15 Years Old: The Bullitt County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.
• Case Records 15 - 35 Years Old: The State Records Center.
• Case Records 36+ Years Old: The Kentucky State Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA).

Bullitt County Courts

Bullitt County's judicial system has two types of courts: Circuit and District. The Circuit Court is the county's general jurisdiction court, which can hear civil matters exceeding $5,000 in damages, felonies and capital offenses, contested probate cases, District Court and administrative appeals, land title disputes, and more. The court also has a separate family court division that retains exclusive jurisdiction over family law-related issues, such as divorce, domestic violence, and adoption cases.

On the other hand, Bullitt County's District Court is a limited jurisdiction court that adjudicates civil disputes worth $5,000 or less, misdemeanors, county/city ordinance violations, juvenile matters, and small claims ($2,500 or less), among other legal issues.

The Circuit and District Courts in Bullitt County both hear civil and criminal proceedings at the following location:

Bullitt County Judicial Center
250 Frank E. Simon Avenue
P.O. Box 746
Shepherdsville, KY 40165
Fax: (502) 543-7158

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office website has each court's specific telephone lines and extensions.

Bullitt County Criminal Records

Individuals can obtain Bullitt County criminal records by requesting a criminal record check from the Kentucky State Police (KSP). The KSP is the state's central repository for criminal record histories.

The Kentucky State Police offers name- and fingerprint-based criminal record checks with varying access levels. Name-based checks are available to any member of society who has a record subject's permission and can pay the KSP's $20 processing fee. The fee is payable to the KY State Treasurer by check or money order.

Interested parties can submit the appropriate background check form by mail to the following address:

Kentucky State Police
Criminal Identifications and Records Branch
Criminal Records Dissemination Section
1266 Louisville Road
Frankfort, KY 40601

Mail processing takes about 10 days. Requesters can also walk into the KSP's physical location to request a criminal background check, which will uncover the Bullitt criminal records on file.

Fingerprint-based criminal record checks, on the other hand, are only available to entities permitted by law. These checks are processed through the KSP's private vendor and, unlike name-based checks, require a record subject's complete set of fingerprints. Such inquiries bring up Kentucky (state) and FBI (national) criminal record histories and require fees to process. Details about the fingerprint background check procedure are available on the KSP's background checks website.

Admittedly, subjects of records can apply directly to the FBI to obtain their criminal history record for personal review. This record will include any information the FBI collated from Bullitt and other law enforcement agencies. The FBI charges $18 for a national criminal record check.

Note: The above procedures should not be mistaken for the background checks offered by the Kentucky Administration of Courts (AOC). Such investigations only feature criminal case information from the Circuit and District Courts and do not include Bullitt County arrest records.

Get Bullitt County Civil Court Records

Civil court records (i.e., documents generated from noncriminal proceedings to determine private rights) can be obtained from the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Bullitt County, regardless of whether a case was filed in the county's Circuit or District Court.

Inquirers can visit the Clerk's Office within the county courthouse during regular business hours to inquire about cases. They can also access the Kentucky Judiciary's Find A Case portal to view public court records, including information from civil case proceedings. The portal can be searched by party/business name or case number.

However, as earlier mentioned, the Circuit Clerk's Office can only provide records of cases filed within the last 15 years.

If the civil case was filed 15 to 35 years ago, the requester can email a records request form to the State Records Center at state.records@ky.gov or call (502) 564-3617. Such inquiries require case and locator numbers, which can be obtained from the Bullitt Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Meanwhile, inquiries for civil court records aged 36 years or older can be made to the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Individuals can call (502) 564-1787 for these requests or email kdla.archives@ky.gov.

Bullitt County Marriage Records

The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) maintains marriage records for all KY counties since June 1958. As Kentucky is an open records state, anyone can request certified copies of Bullitt County vital records, including marriage records, from the OVS. However, they will need to pay the $6 non-refundable search fee and submit the necessary information.

To obtain a Bullitt County marriage certificate from the OVS, a party will need to provide the following information:

• The full names of the spouses
• The date of marriage (month, day, and year)
• The KY county in which the marriage license was issued (in this instance, Bullitt)

The requester will also need to provide their name and mailing address, daytime phone number, and the number of copies they require.

An application form (Spanish version) and fee can be sent to the OVS's mailing address at:

Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street
1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621

The following should be noted, however:

• The search fee is payable by check or money order to the Kentucky State Treasurer, and it only covers the cost of one Bullitt County marriage certificate.
• Mail requests take up to 30 working days to process.
• The OVS has other ordering methods for parties who do not prefer a mail-in application. These include in-person/drop box at the above address or by phone, fax, or internet through a verified private vendor.
• Bullitt County marriage records prior to June 1958 may be requested from the County Clerk's Office, which issues marriage licenses and maintains associated records for Bullitt County. Still, earlier marriage records may be found at the KDLA, KHS (Kentucky Historical Society), or local library.

Bullitt County Divorce Records

There are a few places where a member of the public may retrieve a Bullitt County divorce record, including:

The Bullitt Circuit Court Clerk's Office: Divorce cases are filed in the county's circuit court, and the Circuit Clerk's Office maintains records from these cases. Under Kentucky law, anyone can view or copy a court record, which includes records from marriage dissolution cases, unless a particular statute or court order limits general access.

Consequently, parties can visit or write to the Circuit Clerk for divorce records or use the Kentucky Courts' Find A Case portal to research cases. Typically, a fee will be collected from the requester to obtain a copy of a record.

The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics (OVS): This office serves as the state registrar and issues certified copies of divorce certificates from June 1958 to the present. To order a Bullitt County divorce certificate from the OVS, one may complete the agency's application form (the same one linked above for requesting marriage records) and prepare a check or money order for $6, payable to the State Treasurer. The application can be submitted to the OVS by mail or using other ordering channels, as explained in the previous header.

Like marriage records, the public can find older divorce records through the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives or the Kentucky Historical Society. Individuals may also visit a local library to conduct their research.

Bullitt Birth and Death Records

The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics maintains records of births and deaths that occurred in Bullitt County from 1911 to the present. The office does not issue records before that year, except for delayed records of births that can be established by affidavits and documentary evidence. Like all other Bullitt County vital records, birth and death records can be obtained by anyone.

To purchase a certified copy of a Bullitt County birth certificate, an individual can submit the relevant birth application form to the OVS by mail. Those wishing to order a Bullitt County death certificate should fill out and print the applicable death application form instead. The application forms contain other request channels for those who do not want to submit a mail-in application. Parties can also review the OVS's Certificate Purchase Options page.

Certified copies of Bullitt County birth records cost $10 each to order, whereas certified copies of death records cost $6 each.

Birth and death records have several legal uses beyond providing statistical data about a region's population. Birth records are useful for establishing a person's legal identity, age, citizenship, and parentage on official applications. Meanwhile, death records help settle inheritances and estates.

Bullitt County Probate Court Records

The Bullitt County Circuit Court hears probate cases brought to the county's judicial system. These cases involve guardianships, name changes, trusts, and estate administration.

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office maintains records produced from probate court cases. Consequently, people can visit 250 Frank E. Simon Avenue, send a written request by mail, or access the Kentucky Judiciary's Find A Case to access these records. A party name or case number is the standard criterion for a probate court records search, whether performed online or via other methods.

Older probate court records can also be sought from the State Records Center and Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, as explained in the "Get Bullitt County Civil Court Records" header.

Bullitt County Property Records

Property records in Bullitt County include information about transactions involving real estate located within the county. Under KRS 382.110, the Office of the County Clerk is the official recorder and custodian of property records. Such records form part of the Bullitt County public records. Thus, anyone can retrieve them from the County Clerk's Office.

Copies of property records can be procured from the Bullitt County Clerk's Office via a written application to the following address:

149 North Walnut Street
P.O. Box 6
Shepherdsville, KY 40165

Requesters will need to provide a grantor/grantee's name, the book and page number, and the recording date, plus a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return of documents. The office charges $1.50 for plain copies. However, mortgage documents cost $5, while certified copies cost $5 for the first three pages, plus 50 cents for each extra page.

Requesters may also call the Clerk's Office at (502) 543-2513 for ordering guidelines or access the office's fee-based Online Records Search portal to view property records. Parties can also stop by during regular business hours to inquire about records.

Although the Bullitt County Clerk is the official property records custodian, other government offices may preserve property records. For example, comprehensive property information, including assessment, ownership, and sales data, can be viewed for free using the Property Search feature on the Bullitt County Property Valuation Administrator's website. Additionally, earlier property records may be found on microfilm at the KDLA.

Bullitt County Court Records Online

Courts are the chief keepers of records relating to civil and criminal proceedings held within a jurisdiction. This does not imply, however, that those records cannot be retrieved elsewhere—for example, through private companies that sell public records search services online.

Leveraging a third-party website, like Kentuckycourtrecords.us, to obtain Bullitt court records has several advantages. For instance, users can remain in their homes or offices and access a wealth of court case information about a particular person, so long as that information is publicly available. No lengthy courthouse visits are necessary, and one does not need to wait for agency processing times. Furthermore, third-party websites offer other records from Bullitt County besides the court records, including public Bullit arrest records and property data.

However, since these websites are not government-affiliated, certain information may be incomplete or outdated. Consequently, it is recommended that users verify sourced information with official repositories.