Laurel County Court Records Search
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Laurel County is located in southeastern Kentucky, with its county seat in the city of London. The county’s judicial system operates through two trial-level courts — the Laurel County Circuit Court and the Laurel County District Court — both housed in the Laurel County Judicial Center at 305 South Main Street, London, KY 40741. The Circuit Court Clerk’s office, headed by Roger L. Schott, serves as the official custodian for records generated in the Circuit, District, and Family courts. Separately, the Laurel County Clerk’s office — located at 101 South Main Street, Room 203 — maintains property records, marriage licenses, and other county-level documents.
Kentucky residents and members of the public looking for court case information can begin at the Kentucky Court of Justice website or through KentuckyCourts.us. The state maintains an online case index through the KYeCourts portal, which allows guest searches of civil and criminal docket data across all Kentucky counties. For appellate matters, the C-Track Public Access system provides case information from the Kentucky Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Kentucky. In addition to these electronic tools, records can be requested in person at the appropriate clerk’s office, by telephone, or by mail.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Laurel County?
The starting point for any Laurel County court-record search is identifying which court handled the matter. The Circuit Court exercises general jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil disputes exceeding $5,000, and family-law matters including divorce and custody. The District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, small claims, forcible detainer actions, probate, and civil cases involving amounts up to $5,000.
Step-by-step process for locating a case:
- Determine which court — Circuit or District — heard the case based on the subject matter and dollar amount involved.
- Gather identifying details such as the party’s full name, date of birth, or the case number.
- Search the KYeCourts online index by selecting “Laurel” from the County dropdown menu. Searches can be conducted by party name, date of birth, case number, business name, or citation data. Filters allow users to narrow results by case category (civil, criminal, traffic, etc.).
- If the case is too old to appear in the online index, contact the Circuit Court Clerk’s office by phone at (606) 330-2078 to determine whether the file is stored on-site, at a state records facility, or at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.
- For records stored at the State Records Center (typically 15–35 years old), complete the records request form and email it to state.records@ky.gov or call (502) 564-3617. A case number and file locator number are required.
- For records older than 36 years, submit a request through the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.
Key contact information:
| Office | Address | Phone | Fax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court Clerk (Roger L. Schott) | 305 S. Main St., P.O. Box 1798, London, KY 40741 | (606) 330-2078 | (606) 330-2084 |
| Circuit Court Division | Same address | (606) 330-2079 | (606) 330-2084 |
| District Court Division | Same address | (606) 330-2055 | (606) 330-2084 |
| Laurel County Clerk (Tony Brown) | 101 S. Main St., Room 203, London, KY 40741 | (606) 864-5158 | (606) 864-7369 |
The Circuit Court Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The County Clerk’s office operates Monday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both offices are closed on state holidays. Payments at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (a convenience fee applies to card payments). Online payments are accepted through the ePay system.
Are Court Records Public in Laurel County?
Kentucky law establishes a strong presumption of public access to government records. The Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870–61.884) defines public records broadly and requires that custodians make them available for inspection and copying. Court administrative records fall squarely within this statute. Case records maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk are likewise accessible to the public, subject to specific exemptions.
Under KRS 61.878, certain categories of records are exempt from public disclosure. In the court context, the following types of Laurel County records are typically restricted:
- Juvenile delinquency and status-offense files
- Adoption and dependency records
- Sealed records (by court order)
- Documents revealing the identities of confidential informants, domestic violence victims, or sexual assault victims
- Mental health proceedings under KRS Chapters 202A, 202B, and 387
- Attorney-client privileged communications
- Sensitive personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers
- Records relating to a court’s internal adjudicative deliberations
A person seeking records must submit a written request to the records custodian. The Laurel County Clerk’s office maintains a published open records policy that outlines the procedures, including the requirement for a written request containing the requester’s name, address, and signature. The custodian must respond within three business days of receiving the request.
Kentucky does not charge an inspection fee, but copy fees apply. Under the Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure, the standard charge for document copies from the Circuit Court Clerk is $0.25 per page, with a $5.00 certification fee per case. Audio recording copies cost $15.00 per tape or disc, and video or digital recording copies cost $25.00 per media item.
Laurel County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in Laurel County are divided between the Circuit Court and the District Court based on the severity of the offense. The Circuit Court adjudicates felonies and can also handle appeals from District Court criminal matters. The District Court presides over misdemeanors, violations, traffic infractions, and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
Searching criminal case records:
- The KYeCourts index includes criminal docket information for both Circuit and District Court. Select the “Criminal” case category and enter the defendant’s name or case number.
- The Kentucky Department of Corrections operates the Kentucky Online Offender Lookup (KOOL) system, which provides free, name-based searches of current and former offenders supervised by the state. Results can be filtered by detention center, supervision county, crime date, and DOC number.
- In-person requests for criminal case file copies can be made at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office during business hours.
Criminal background checks through the Kentucky State Police:
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) conducts name-based criminal history checks for the general public. The fee is $20.00, payable by check or money order to the Kentucky State Treasurer. No fingerprints are required for a name-based search. Requests can be submitted in person (typically processed within 15 minutes) or by mail (approximately 10 business days). The required criminal history request form must be completed and sent to:
Kentucky State Police Headquarters
919 Versailles Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 782-1800
For fingerprint-based background checks (state and FBI), individuals must visit an IdentoGo location. Information and enrollment are available at uenroll.identogo.com. Local law enforcement agencies may charge up to $10.00 in addition to the IdentoGo and agency processing fees.
Local law enforcement records:
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office maintains arrest logs, incident reports, and other law-enforcement records. The office is located at 1380 East Highway 192, London, KY 40741, and can be reached at (606) 864-6600. Record requests should be directed to the office during regular business hours; after-hours calls are routed through Laurel County Dispatch.
Laurel County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Laurel County is split between the Circuit Court and the District Court based on the amount in controversy. The Circuit Court hears civil cases where the amount exceeds $5,000, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, real-estate actions, and equitable relief. The District Court has jurisdiction over civil claims up to $5,000, forcible detainer (eviction) actions, and small claims up to $2,500.
Filing fees under the Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure:
Circuit Court civil filings are governed by CR 3.02. District Court filings follow CR 3.03. The base filing fees do not include mandatory add-on fees such as the court technology fee ($20.00), the court facility fee, and the law library fee, which are assessed under KRS 453.060 and KRS 27A.630.
| Case Type | Court | Base Filing Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court civil action | Circuit | $150.00 |
| District Court civil action (over $2,500) | District | $75.00 |
| Small claims (up to $2,500) | District | $30.00 |
| Civil case ($500 or less, not small claims) | District | $40.00 |
| Forcible detainer (eviction) | District | $40.00 |
| Third-party complaint (either court) | Either | $35.00 |
Copy and service fees (both courts):
- Document copies: $0.25 per page
- Certification: $5.00 per case
- Writs of attachment, execution, or post-judgment possession: $25.00
- Garnishments: $15.00
- Jury of six: $40.00
- Jury of more than six (Circuit only): $70.00
Civil case information is searchable online through KYeCourts by selecting “Civil” under the case category filter. In-person requests can be made at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office at 305 South Main Street.
Property records are maintained separately by the Laurel County Clerk. The Clerk’s office records deeds, mortgages, liens, plat maps, and other real-estate instruments. Recording fees for standard documents include $50.00 for a deed and $46.00 for a mortgage (first five pages), with an additional $3.00 for each page over five. An online index of recorded documents is available to registered users through the eCCLIX platform. Non-subscribers may inspect records in person at the County Clerk’s Recordings/Deed Room during office hours. The County Clerk can be reached at (606) 864-5158 or by email at tony.brown@ky.gov.
Laurel County Family Court Records
Family-law matters in Laurel County are heard by the Family Division of the Circuit Court. This division handles divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, domestic violence protective orders, adoption, paternity, and guardianship of minors. Records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk.
Divorce records: Certified copies of Kentucky divorce certificates (for divorces occurring from June 1958 onward) can be obtained from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. Requesters must complete the marriage/divorce certificate application and mail it with a $6.00 fee (money order payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer) to the Office of Vital Statistics. The application requires the full names of both parties, the date and county of the divorce decree, and the requester’s mailing address. Actual court case files for divorce proceedings are available through the Circuit Court Clerk.
A fee of $50.00 applies to reopen a domestic relations case more than six months after the entry of a decree, per CR 3.02(3)(a).
Marriage licenses: The Laurel County Clerk issues marriage licenses. The fee is $60.00 (cash, check, or card; card payments include a convenience fee). Both applicants must be at least 18 years old, must appear together in person, and must present valid photo identification. The license is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance (KRS 402.105). The marriage license application can be downloaded from the Clerk’s website and brought to the office. To schedule an appointment, call (606) 864-5158.
Birth and death certificates: These vital records are maintained by the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics, not by county courts. However, they are frequently needed in family-law proceedings. Requests can be placed through the Laurel County Health Department, which provides applications and forwards them to the state office.
- Birth certificates: $10.00 per certified copy
- Death certificates: $6.00 per certified copy
- Stillbirth certificates: $6.00 per certified copy
Applications can be submitted in person at the Health Department (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.), by phone through the Office of Vital Statistics at (800) 241-8322, online at VitalChek, or by mail using the appropriate form:
Mail requests should be directed to the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics at 275 East Main Street, Frankfort, KY 40621.
Laurel County Health Department
525 Whitley Street
London, KY 40741
Phone: (606) 864-5187 or (606) 878-7754
Fax: (606) 864-8295
Email: laurelcountyhealthdepartment@gmail.com
Adoption and juvenile records are confidential under Kentucky law and are not available for public inspection. Access is limited to the parties involved, their legal representatives, and individuals authorized by court order.
Laurel County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Kentucky are handled at the District Court level. In Laurel County, the District Court at the Judicial Center adjudicates estates of decedents, appointment of executors and administrators, will contests, guardianship and conservatorship petitions, trust matters, and name changes.
Filing fees for probate and related matters under CR 3.03:
| Proceeding | Base Fee |
|---|---|
| Probate of an estate | $40.00 |
| Guardianship or conservatorship (not part of pending probate) | $40.00 per application |
| Name change | $40.00 |
| Paternity determination (KRS Chapter 406) | $40.00 |
| Mental health proceedings (KRS 202A, 202B, 387) | No fee |
These base fees do not include the mandatory court technology fee ($20.00) and other surcharges required by KRS 453.060.
How to request probate records:
- Identify the case number or the decedent’s name and approximate date of filing.
- Search the KYeCourts index online, selecting “Laurel” as the county and “Probate” as the case category.
- For copies of specific documents (wills, inventories, settlement accounts, appointment orders), visit the Circuit Court Clerk’s office at 305 South Main Street, London, KY 40741, or call (606) 330-2055 (District Court line).
- Copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies require a $5.00 certification fee.
- Mail requests should include the case number, a description of the documents needed, payment by check or money order payable to the Laurel County Circuit Court Clerk, and a return address.
While most probate records — including wills admitted to probate, estate inventories, and settlement accounts — are public, certain related files carry confidentiality restrictions. Guardianship investigation reports, mental health commitment files, and adoption records filed through probate proceedings are not open to public inspection. Persons seeking access to restricted probate records must obtain a court order or demonstrate that they fall within a category of authorized recipients under Kentucky law.