Clark County Court Records

The Clark County court system generates two kinds of court records: case and administrative records. Case records relate to cases handled in the District and Circuit Courts, while administrative records pertain to the court's administration. In Clark County, these records are created to promote judicial transparency, ensure accountability, and preserve judicial history. Ultimately, they provide an official account of the judicial proceedings within the county.

Are Court Records Public in Clark County?

Yes. The Kentucky Open Records Act and the Administrative Office of the Courts Open Records Policy outline the provisions of the right to access non-exempt court records. They allow for the dissemination of court record information to interested members of the public. However, this right to access is not absolute. Records pertaining to adoption, juvenile, legal research and analysis, the personal information of judges, justices, and their staff, and records protected by attorney/client privilege are not accessible to the public. Private court record information also includes the personal identifying information of victims and witnesses as well as personal notes, which are the functional equivalent of a diary or journal.

Clark County Court Records Search

In Clark County, a court records search may be performed via any of the following means:

• In person at the courthouse during business hours
• By sending an email to state.records@ky.gov
• Online via the KDLA Records Ordering System or the CourtNet 2.0
• By sending a mail to the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA)

Clark County Courts

Clark County has a court system consisting of Circuit and District Courts that handles all criminal and civil cases. These courts are located within the county's courthouse at:

Clark County courthouse
17 Cleveland Avenue
P.O. Box 687
Winchester, KY 40392
Phone: (859) 737-7264
Fax: (859) 737-7005

Clark County Criminal and Civil Records

The Clark County Circuit Court maintains records pertaining to civil matters of over $5,000, capital offenses, and felonies. These records are publicly available online on the CourtNet 2.0 portal for free. Users will need a case number or party name to search. Copies of criminal and civil records that are 15 to 35 years old can be obtained by email to the State Records Center. Requesters should submit a Record Request Form to state.records@ky.gov. Criminal and civil court records over 36 years old are available at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA). Copies of these records cost $20 for residents and $25 for out-of-state customers. Individuals can use the KDLA Records Ordering System to order copies of court records electronically with an extra processing fee of $1.50. Records can also be obtained by mailing a Criminal or Civil Case File Record Request form and the necessary payment to:

Archives Research Room
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
P.O. Box 537
300 Coffee Tree Road
Frankfort, KY 40602

Clark County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Clark County Clerk's Office is the county's primary custodian of marriage records. Interested persons may access these records by requesting them in person or via mail. However, only records generated after June 1958 are available through this office, and inquirers will be required to complete and submit a request form containing details of the record of interest to facilitate the search. Requests may be addressed to:

Clark County Clerk
34 South Main Street
Winchester, KY 40392
Phone: (859) 745-0280
Fax: (859) 745-4251
Email: michelles.turner@ky.gov

Divorce records prior to June 1958 can be obtained at the Clark County Circuit Court Family Division during business hours.

The Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) also disseminates marriage and divorce certificates from June 1958 to the present day. Applicants can order both marriage and divorce records online, by phone, fax, mail, in person, or at the drop box location for a $6 fee. Online, phone, and fax requests are handled by a third-party vendor for an extra fee. Mail applicants, on the other hand, will be required to submit a Marriage and Divorce Application (English or Spanish) form and the appropriate fees in check or money order to:

Office of Vital Statistics
275 E. Main St., 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621

In-person and drop-box requests can be made by visiting the office during business hours with a valid form of photo identification. Individuals who want same-day services should submit in-person requests before 3:45 p.m. OVS drop box orders are processed within five to seven business days.

Clark County Birth and Death Records

The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) has Clark County vital records on file from 1911 to the present day. The department, however, charges a non-refundable search fee of $10 for Clark County birth records and $6 for death records. Customers can purchase birth and death certificates through the following options:

• Online, by phone, or fax: The OVS partners with a third-party company to provide birth and death certificates to buyers online and by phone. This service attracts an additional fee, payable by credit/debit card or automated clearing house (ACH).
• By mail: Customers can mail a Birth Certificate Application (English or Spanish) or Death Certificate Application (English or Spanish) form to the OVS to order copies of birth and death certificates. The form must be accompanied by a check or money order in the appropriate fee.
• In-person and dropbox location: Customers can visit the OVS lobby from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to complete an application for a certified copy of a birth and death certificate. The OVS processes orders received after 3:45 p.m. the next business day. Customers can also use the drop box installed at the visitor entrance at the OVS for applications. They can pick the blank applications on the drop box and complete them.

Clark County Property Records

The Clark County public records include property documents recorded at the County Clerk's office. Individuals can freely view these records in person at the office or request copies for a fee. A copy costs $.50 per page, and certified copies, $5 per page. Customers will have to add $3 for every page over the first five pages and an extra $3 for every page over the first thirty pages. The Clerk also partners with a third-party vendor to issue property records online for daily or monthly subscription fees.

Clark County Court Records Online

Third-party platforms are a convenient way of obtaining Clark County court records online. Websites like kentuckycourtrecords.us aggregate court information from several jurisdictions and allow users to search their database for a record using a name or case number. Most sites charge a fee per search or for downloading a comprehensive report. However, while most third-party platforms are suitable for court record searches, they may not return up-to-date information compared to official court portals.