Montgomery County Court Records Search
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Montgomery County, Kentucky sits in the heart of the Bluegrass region, with Mount Sterling serving as the county seat. The county's trial court system runs through two courts — the Circuit Court and the District Court — both located at the Montgomery County Courthouse on One Court Street. Together, they handle civil, criminal, family, and probate matters that arise within the county. Court records from these proceedings include dockets, orders, motions, complaints, judgments, evidence summaries, transcripts, and video recordings, forming the official documentary record of each case.
If you need to find court case information in Kentucky, you have a few options. You can go through the court clerk's office, use public access terminals at the courthouse, or search online tools maintained by the Kentucky Court of Justice. KentuckyCourts.us is a good place to start when you want to locate publicly available case information across the state, including cases filed in Montgomery County.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Montgomery County?
All record requests in Montgomery County start with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, which maintains the official files for Circuit, Family, District, and Business court proceedings in the county. Where the physical record is stored — and how you access it — depends on how old the case is.
Online Case Search
The Kentucky Court of Justice runs a statewide case search portal called KYeCourts, which is open to the public without registration. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number and get back party details, case numbers, and upcoming court dates. The same system also lets you pay court fees and fines through an integrated ePay portal.
By Age of Case — Where to Request
| Case Age | Storage Location | How to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Within the past 15 years | Montgomery County Circuit Clerk's Office | Contact clerk directly by phone or in person |
| 15–35 years old | Kentucky State Records Center | Submit a Records Request Form to state.records@ky.gov or call (502) 564-3617 |
| 36+ years old | Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives | Visit KDLA Archives Records Requests or call (502) 564-1787 / email kdla.archives@ky.gov |
Keep in mind that State Records Center cases cannot be searched by name or Social Security number — you'll need the case and file locator numbers. If you don't have those, the Circuit Clerk's office can look them up for you.
Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Tanya P. Terry |
| Address | Montgomery County Courthouse, One Court Street, P.O. Box 327, Mount Sterling, KY 40353 |
| Phone | (859) 498-5966 / (859) 498-5991 |
| Fax | (859) 498-9341 |
Accepted Payment Methods: Cash, money order, personal check (held 10 days to clear), and credit or debit cards (fee applies). You can also pay online through the ePay portal.
Are Court Records Public in Montgomery County?
Court records in Montgomery County are presumptively open to the public under the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870–61.884, which has been in effect since 1976. Anyone may inspect or obtain copies of public records, and custodians must process requests unless a specific statutory exemption applies. If a record contains both public and confidential information, the custodian must release the public portions after redacting the protected content.
Records That Are Generally Public:
- Circuit and district court dockets, orders, and final judgments
- Criminal charge and disposition records
- Civil case filings, motions, and judgments
- Probate filings for open estates
- Court schedules and hearing dates
Records That Are Confidential or Restricted:
- Juvenile court records (sealed by statute)
- Adoption proceedings and related filings
- Paternity case records (restricted in certain circumstances)
- Arrest records that are part of sealed proceedings
- Criminal records tied to active law enforcement investigations
- Financial records and trade secrets submitted under protective order
- Certain family court matters where the court has ordered confidentiality
If your request is denied, you can seek review through the Kentucky Attorney General's office under the Open Records Act process.
Montgomery County Criminal Court Records
Criminal proceedings in Montgomery County are split between the Circuit Court and the District Court depending on how serious the offense is.
Jurisdiction by Offense Type
- Circuit Court: Felonies and capital offenses; also handles the formal trial phase of cases that began as felony arraignments in District Court
- District Court: Misdemeanors, city and county ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and probable cause hearings for felonies
District Court Criminal Schedule (Montgomery County)
- Misdemeanor/Felony Arraignments: Monday & Thursday, 9:30 a.m.
- Traffic: Monday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.
Circuit Court Criminal Motion Days
- Division 1 Criminal: Fourth Friday, 10:30 a.m. (Grand Jury, 2:00 p.m.)
- Division 2 Criminal: Second Friday, 9:00 a.m.
Motions must be filed one week before motion day and must include the defendant's name and the judge on the certificate of service.
Searching Criminal Records
Use the KYeCourts statewide case search to look up criminal case information by name or case number. For certified copies of criminal case documents, contact the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk directly.
Arrest Records and Sheriff's Office
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is a 24-hour full-service law enforcement agency. Office staff hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. The Sheriff's Office handles arrest and incident records, as well as collision and offense reports.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Court Street, Suite 4, Mount Sterling, KY 40353 |
| Phone | (859) 498-8704 |
| Collision/Offense Report Copies | $2.00 per copy |
Note that collision reports are no longer considered open records and are only released to parties involved in the collision and their insurance representatives. Victims of crimes receive a theft/loss report rather than a copy of the offense report. Insurance companies requesting collision report copies must include a self-addressed stamped envelope and the $2.00 fee with their written request.
For Kentucky-wide criminal conviction history searches, the Kentucky Court of Justice Find a Case portal provides statewide access to public case information.
Montgomery County Civil Court Records
Civil disputes in Montgomery County are divided between the Circuit Court and the District Court based on the dollar amount at issue.
Civil Jurisdiction
| Court | Civil Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Circuit Court | Claims over $5,000; contested probate cases; landlord-tenant title disputes |
| District Court | Claims under $5,000; small claims under $2,500; probate of wills |
District Court Civil Schedule
- Civil Motion Days: Monday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.
- Small Claims: First Friday, 9:00 a.m.
Circuit Court Civil Motion Days
- Division 1: Fourth Friday, 9:00 a.m.
- Division 2: Third Friday, 9:00 a.m.
Requesting Civil Records
- Search online using the KYeCourts case search portal by party name or case number.
- Contact the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk at (859) 498-5966 to request copies or confirm record availability.
- For cases 15–35 years old stored at the State Records Center, submit a completed Records Request Form to state.records@ky.gov or call (502) 564-3617.
- For cases older than 35 years held by KDLA Archives, submit a research request online, by email to kdla.archives@ky.gov, or by phone at (502) 564-1787.
The Kentucky Court of Justice's Request Court Records page provides detailed guidance on the right contact point based on case type and filing date.
Montgomery County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Montgomery County go through the domestic divisions of the Circuit Court. These include dissolution of marriage (divorce), child custody, child support, adoption, domestic violence proceedings, and related matters. Montgomery County runs an Early Legal Participation (ELP) program for domestic matters — the rules are available from the clerk's office on request and are also codified in CR 88, 89, and 90. A standard visitation schedule is available from the Circuit Clerk upon request.
Circuit Court Family Schedule
- Division 1 Domestic: First Friday, 9:00 a.m.
- Division 2 Domestic: Third Friday, 1:00 p.m.
- District Court Domestic Violence Hearings: Monday, 1:30 p.m.
Divorce Records
Divorce proceedings run through the domestic division of the Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk keeps the case file, which typically includes the petition for dissolution, any custody and support agreements, property settlement orders, and the final decree. You can search divorce cases through the KYeCourts portal or contact the clerk directly for certified copies.
The Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services issues divorce certificates — as distinct from the full court file — confirming that a divorce occurred. Each divorce certificate costs $6.00. Requests can be submitted in person, by mail, online, by telephone, or by fax.
Mail requests for divorce certificates go to:
Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street, 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses are issued by the Montgomery County Clerk — not the Circuit Court Clerk. County Clerk Chris Cockrell's office is at 1 Court Street, Suite 2, Mount Sterling, KY 40353, Phone: (859) 498-8700, Fax: (859) 498-8729, email chris.cockrell@ky.gov. Office hours are Monday 8:00–5:00 and Tuesday through Friday with varying hours.
For certified marriage certificates issued from June 1958 forward, contact the Office of Vital Statistics. Each certificate costs $6.00. For marriages that predate June 1958, contact the County Clerk directly, as those records are held locally. Online property and document records maintained by the County Clerk can be searched through eCCLIX via the County Clerk's website.
Birth and Death Vital Records
Birth and death certificates are available through the Office of Vital Statistics:
- Birth certificates: $6.00 per copy; records available from 1911 to present
- Death certificates: $6.00 per copy
Requests may be submitted in person, by mail, online through VitalChek, by phone, or by fax. If you visit in person at 275 East Main Street in Frankfort, same-day processing is available.
Montgomery County Probate Court Records
Probate proceedings in Montgomery County fall primarily under the District Court, which handles routine petitions such as the probate of wills and administration of smaller estates. If a will's validity is disputed or parties contest how an estate is being administered, that contested matter transfers to the Circuit Court.
District Court Probate Schedule
- Probate Petitions: Wednesday & Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
- Motions for Probates: Fourth Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.
Probate Records Include:
- Wills and testamentary documents
- Letters testamentary and letters of administration
- Estate inventories and appraisements
- Guardianship and conservatorship filings
- Final settlement accounts
Accessing Probate Records
Probate case files from the past 15 years are maintained by the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk. To search probate cases online, use the KYeCourts case search portal and search by the decedent's name or the assigned case number. For in-person review, visit the Circuit Clerk's office at One Court Street, Mount Sterling, during regular business hours.
For older probate records, use the same tiered request process that applies to all other case types: the Kentucky State Records Center for cases 15–35 years old (contact state.records@ky.gov or (502) 564-3617), and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives for records older than 35 years (kdla.archives@ky.gov or (502) 564-1787). State Records Center requests require case and file locator numbers — if you don't have them, the Circuit Clerk can provide them.
The Montgomery County Property Valuation Administrator also maintains property assessment records that may be relevant in estate proceedings, and the County Clerk's Office holds recorded instruments such as deeds, mortgages, and conveyances that are routinely referenced during estate administration.