Carter County Court Records

The Open Records Policy of the Administrative Office of the Courts, in Section 2 (4), defines Carter court records, also known as case records, as encompassing written documents, papers, discs, audio or video recordings, and other materials generated throughout legal proceedings, aligning with the Kentucky Court of Justice guidelines. This definition specifies a broad array of documents that the local court system in Carter County, Kentucky, generates, files, and preserves. These records provide the public with a significant resource for gaining insight into the legal system and accessing essential information about Carter County Arrest records, Carter County Criminal records, etc.

Are Court Records Public in Carter County?

In Carter County, the Kentucky Revised Statutes 61.870 to 61.884 categorises most court records as part of Carter County public records. The law establishes that public agencies, including courts, must make their records available to the public unless specific exemptions apply. Also, Open Records Policy of the Administrative Office of the Courts, Section 4(3) of the Open Records Policy of the Administrative Office of the Courts states that requests for case records may be made to the clerk of the applicable court. However, certain documents are exempt, and the Attorney General's Office provides guidance on these exemptions under Kentucky Revised Statutes 61.878(1). The exempted records include the following:

• Law Enforcement Records that may harm the agency or hinder an ongoing investigation.
• Juvenile and Sealed Records are typically restricted, and not open for public inspection under privacy concerns.
• Personal Information whose disclosure constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

Carter County Court Records Search

Individuals seeking Carter County court records can explore several avenues to locate the information they need. The primary places include:

• The Carter Circuit Court Clerk’s Office
• The Office of Vital Statistics
• Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
• Kentucky Court of Justice CourtNet 2.0
• Carter County Clerk
• The Carter County Property Valuation Administrators Office
• Third-Party Websites.

Carter County Courts

Carter County is served by the Kentucky Circuit and District Courts, which handle various legal matters under the Kentucky Court of Justice system. These courts hear their cases in the following locations:

Carter County Circuit Court
Carter County Justice Center
100 East Main Street
Grayson, KY 41143
Phone: (606) 474-5191

Carter County District Court
Carter County Justice Center
100 East Main Street
Grayson, KY 41143
Phone: (606) 474-6572

Carter County Criminal and Civil Records

Carter County Circuit and District Courts deal with a wide variety of criminal and civil cases, such as contract, forcible detainer, property damage, personal injury, personal right, review of treatment, ordinance violation, traffic, misdemeanor, and felony. Both the Circuit Court and the District Court offer thorough protection for criminal and civil matters in Carter County, and the Carter County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office maintains the records generated from these cases.

To access criminal, and civil court records in Carter County, requesters should contact the Carter County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office using the contact details below:

Carter County Justice Center
100 E. Main Street
Grayson, KY 41143
Phone: (606) 474-5191

Carter County Marriage Records

Carter County marriage records from June 1958 to the present are maintained by the Office of Vital Statistics (OVS), while marriage records dated before June 1958 are maintained by the Carter County Clerk. Carter County Marriage certificate cost $6, and eligible individuals may make their request as follows:

• In Person: Marriage records dating back to 1838 may be accessed at the County Clerk’s Office, located at 300 W. Main Street, Grayson, KY 41143 Grayson.
• By Mail: Requesters may obtain marriage records from June 1958 onward by sending a completed application and payment to the Office of Vital Statistics at 275 E Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621.
• Online: Marriage from June 1958 may be accessed online via VitalChek, with additional fees for processing and delivery.

Public marriage records remain open to all, but access to confidential marriage records requires proof of eligibility, such as documents showing the requester is a spouse or holds a court order.

Carter County Divorce Records

Carter County divorce records from June 1958 to the present are maintained by the Office of Vital Statistics (OVS), while divorce records dated before June 1958 are maintained by the Carter County Circuit Court Clerk. Certified copies of divorce records cost $6, and eligible individuals may make their request as follows:

• In Person: Divorce records dated before June 1958 may be accessed at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office located at 100 E. Main Street, Grayson, KY 41143.
• By Mail: Requesters may obtain divorce records from June 1958 onward by sending a completed application and payment to the Office of Vital Statistics at 275 E Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621.
• Online: Divorce records from June 1958 may be accessed online via VitalChek, with additional fees for processing and delivery.

Carter County Birth Records

Carter County birth records, part of Carter County vital records, are managed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Vital Statistics, with local access through the Carter County Clerk’s Office. Certified copy of Carter County birth certificate cost $10, and eligible individuals may make:

• In-person request at the County Clerk’s Office in Grayson, upon providing identification and payment.
• Request by Mail through the Office of Vital Statistics at 275 E Main St 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621, with a completed application and payment.

Birth records from 1911 to the present are available at the Office of Vital Statistics. Indexes for Carter County birth records (pre-1911) can be viewed by appointment at the County Clerk’s Office. Only authorized individuals, such as the subject, family members, or legal representatives, can obtain certified copies, while informational copies are available to the public.

Carter County Death Records

Carter County death records, part of Carter County vital records, are managed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Vital Statistics, with local access through the Carter County Clerk’s Office. Certified copies of Carter County death certificates cost $6, and eligible individuals may make:

• In-person request at the County Clerk’s Office in Grayson, upon providing identification and payment.
• Request by Mail through the Office of Vital Statistics at 275 E Main St 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621, with a completed application and payment.

Death records from 1911 to the present are available at the Office of Vital Statistics. Indexes for Carter County death records from 1911 can also be viewed by appointment at the County Clerk’s Office. Only authorised individuals, such as the subject, family members, or legal representatives, can obtain certified copies, while informational copies are available to the public.

Carter County Probate Court Records

The Carter County Circuit and District Courts handle all the probate court cases within the county. The Circuit Court handles contested probate matters while the District Court handles uncontested probate matters. These courts hear and maintain records of probate cases such as wills & estates, name changes, trusts, guardianships and conservatorships, and others. Requesters may access these records by contacting the Office of the Carter Circuit Court Clerk’s Office using the details below:

Carter County Justice Center
100 E. Main Street
Grayson, KY 41143
Phone: (606) 474-5191

Carter County Property Records

Carter County property records are maintained by the Carter County Clerk’s Office (for liens, deeds, releases, and mortgages) and the Carter County Property Valuation Administrator (records of real estate ownership, property maps, and real estate assessment data). Individuals can access these records:

• In Person: At the County Clerk’s Office, 300 W Main St, Grayson, KY 41143, where records from 1838 to the present are available, or the Property Valuation Administrator’s Office, located at 300 W Main St, Grayson, KY 41143.
• Online: The County Clerk’s website or the Property Valuation Administrator’s free online property lookup tools.
• By Mail or Fax: Requests can be submitted to the County Clerk with payment for copies.

Carter County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Kentuckycourtrecords.us provide aggregated data from state, county, and local repositories for convenient access to Carter County court records. These platforms allow users to search Carter court records remotely, often across multiple jurisdictions, which is useful for comprehensive research.