Rowan County Court Records Search

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    Rowan County, Kentucky sits in the eastern part of the state with Morehead as its county seat. Court records generated in the county document civil disputes, criminal proceedings, family matters, probate cases, and more. Beyond the courtroom, these records support legal research, establish facts in ongoing litigation, and allow individuals to verify their own judicial history. Knowing which court maintains a particular type of record — and how to request it — is the essential first step before beginning any search in Rowan County.

    Court Search:

    Kentucky residents and researchers can start locating court case information through KentuckyCourts.us, which connects users to publicly available case data, clerk contact information, and official court resources across the Commonwealth. Depending on the type of record you need, it may be maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk, the County Clerk, or a state-level agency. Official court resources, public-access terminals at the courthouse, and the Kentucky Court of Justice online portal all give you pathways to case information. The sections below walk through which office to contact for each record type.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Rowan County?

    Start with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Rowan County Judicial Center. The Circuit Court Clerk manages records across all of Kentucky's Circuit, Family, District, and Business court divisions within the county.

    Rowan County Judicial Center — Office of Circuit Court Clerk

    FieldDetails
    Circuit Court ClerkKim Barker Tabor
    Address700 W. Main St., Morehead, KY 40351
    Phone(606) 783-8505
    Fax(606) 783-8504
    Office HoursMonday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

    Search methods available:

    • Online case search: The Kentucky Court of Justice eCourts portal allows guest access to look up civil and criminal cases by party name, case number, or court type without creating an account.
    • In-person requests: Visit the Judicial Center during business hours. Staff can pull records by case number or party name. Payment for copies is accepted in cash, local check, money order, or credit/debit card (card fees apply).
    • Phone requests: Credit and debit card payments for certain matters can be processed by phone at (606) 783-8505.
    • Mail requests: For prepayable matters, send a cashier's check or money order with a copy of the citation and any supporting documentation to the address above. Do not send cash by mail.
    • Online payments: Some court-related payments can be made via ePay through the eCourts portal.

    For older case files, the Kentucky Court of Justice's Request Court Records page explains how records stored at off-site facilities are accessed. The clerk will provide case and file locator numbers for any record held at a records facility rather than the courthouse.

    If you need records held by a different agency — such as the County Clerk's office for property, wills, or marriage documents — contact the Rowan County Clerk's Office at 600 West Main Street, Room 102, Morehead, KY 40351, Phone: (606) 784-5212

    Are Court Records Public in Rowan County?

    Kentucky's Open Records Act, KRS 61.870–61.884, establishes the public's right to inspect and copy records held by public agencies, including courts. Under this statute, most court records filed in Rowan County are accessible to any requester, subject to specific statutory exemptions.

    Records generally available to the public include:

    • Criminal case filings, charges, and dispositions
    • Civil case complaints, judgments, and orders
    • Divorce decrees and related filings (excluding sealed documents)
    • Probate filings such as wills admitted to record and estate inventories
    • Property records including deeds, mortgages, and liens

    Categories restricted from public access:

    • Records sealed or expunged by court order (see Kentucky's expungement statutes under KRS Chapter 431)
    • Juvenile court records and proceedings
    • Adoption files, which are confidential by statute
    • Documents containing personal identifying information of crime victims, witnesses, or complainants
    • Internal deliberations of court administration
    • Personal information of court officials not relevant to official duties

    Open records requests related to matters handled by the Rowan County Judge Executive's office or the Rowan County Detention Center can be submitted through the Rowan County Open Records Request Form. For matters within the City of Morehead and the Morehead City Police Department, use the City of Morehead's public records request portal. For court-related records specifically, the Circuit Court Clerk's office is the right starting point.

    All public records held by the Rowan County Clerk — including deeds, mortgages, marriage licenses, and wills — are available for free viewing in person at the clerk's office. Fees apply when copies are requested.

    Rowan County Criminal Court Records

    Criminal cases in Rowan County are handled across two court tiers depending on the severity of the offense:

    • Rowan County District Court (located at the same Judicial Center, 700 W. Main St., Morehead) handles misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, county and city ordinance violations, and arraignments. Felony cases begin with a probable cause hearing in District Court before transfer.
    • Rowan County Circuit Court handles felony prosecutions, serious criminal appeals from District Court, and post-conviction matters.

    Both courts are served by the same Circuit Court Clerk's office at (606) 783-8505.

    How to search criminal records:

    • Use the Kentucky eCourts guest access portal to search by defendant name or case number for District and Circuit criminal cases.
    • Visit the Judicial Center in person and request criminal case files from the clerk.
    • For current inmate information, contact the Rowan County Detention Center, located at 1075 S. Tolliver Road, Morehead, KY 40351, Phone: (606) 784-8457 The jailer maintains custody records for individuals held in the county facility.
    • The Kentucky Department of Corrections operates KOOL (Kentucky Offender Online Lookup), a statewide database for searching individuals currently under DOC supervision.

    Expungement of criminal records: Eligible misdemeanor convictions may be expunged under KRS 431.078 after a five-year waiting period from completion of sentence. Certain felony convictions may also qualify under KRS 431.073. The Kentucky Court of Justice provides guidance on the expungement certification process. Once a court order is granted, expunged records are no longer accessible to the public.

    Rowan County Civil Court Records

    Civil litigation in Rowan County is split by claim value and case type:

    • District Court handles civil cases involving $5,000 or less, and small claims matters up to $2,500.
    • Circuit Court handles general civil matters exceeding $5,000, including contract disputes, property litigation, foreclosures, equity matters, and complex commercial cases.

    All civil filings — complaints, answers, motions, judgments, and orders — are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk's office. You can access civil case records through the eCourts online portal, in-person requests, or by mail.

    Filing and payment options:

    • In-person: cash, local check, money order, or credit/debit card (card fee applies)
    • Phone: credit/debit card accepted for certain matters
    • Mail: cashier's check or money order only; no cash

    Property-related civil records such as deeds, mortgage documents, mechanics liens, and tax liens are held by the Rowan County Clerk's office rather than the Circuit Court Clerk. The Clerk's office maintains these land records from 1795 to the present, with document indexes available for most types going back to 1880. Records can be viewed free of charge at the office or searched remotely through the eCCLIX online records database (account registration and access fees apply for remote use). The clerk's office also accepts electronic recordings (eRecording) for deeds, mortgages, releases, and similar instruments.

    Rowan County Clerk's Office

    FieldDetails
    Address600 West Main Street, Room 102, Morehead, KY 40351
    Phone(606) 784-5212
    Fax(606) 784-2923
    EmailelwoodJ.caudill@ky.gov
    HoursMonday & Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Tuesday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

    Rowan County Family Court Records

    Family Court in Kentucky operates as a division of Circuit Court, grounded in the "One Family, One Judge, One Court" model. This approach assigns a single judge to all legal matters involving the same family, so litigants don't have to navigate multiple courtrooms for related issues. Family Court jurisdiction in Kentucky is defined under KRS 23A.100 and 23A.110 and covers the following matter types:

    • Dissolution of marriage (divorce) and spousal support
    • Child custody, support, and visitation
    • Paternity establishment and adoption
    • Domestic violence proceedings and protective orders
    • Dependency, neglect, and abuse cases
    • Termination of parental rights
    • Status offenses involving juveniles (runaways, truancy, beyond parental control)

    Family Court case records, including divorce decrees and custody orders, are filed with and maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk at the Rowan County Judicial Center. Requests for copies follow the same procedures as other Circuit Court records — in person at the Judicial Center, by phone, or through the Kentucky Court of Justice online portal.

    Rowan County divorce records document the dissolution of marriage, including property division, custody arrangements, and support orders. These are filed with the Circuit Court Clerk at 700 W. Main Street and can be searched through the eCourts guest portal.

    Marriage licenses are issued and maintained by the Rowan County Clerk's Office, not the Circuit Court Clerk. To obtain a certified copy of a marriage license issued in Rowan County:

    • Submit a request in person or by email to the Rowan County Clerk's Office at 600 West Main Street, Room 102, Morehead, KY 40351
    • The certified copy fee is $5.00
    • The office accepts payment in person; phone payments are also available with a $2.50 fee for debit cards or 2.75% for credit cards

    Birth and death records are held at the state level by the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics, not by Rowan County courts or the county clerk. Certified copies can be requested through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Requests can be submitted by mail to Vital Statistics, 275 East Main Street, 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621, or ordered online through VitalChek. Current fees are $10.00 per certified copy of a birth certificate and $6.00 per certified copy of a death certificate, with each additional copy at the same rate. Birth records are available from 1911 to the present.

    Rowan County Probate Court Records

    Probate jurisdiction in Kentucky is shared between the Circuit Court and District Court depending on the matter type. The Rowan County District Court handles probate of wills as part of its limited jurisdiction, while more complex estate administration matters may proceed through the Circuit Court. In practice, both courts are located at the Rowan County Judicial Center, 700 W. Main St., Morehead, and are served by the same Circuit Court Clerk.

    Typical probate matters handled in Rowan County include:

    • Proving and admitting wills to record
    • Administration of intestate estates (no will)
    • Appointment of personal representatives and administrators
    • Guardianships and conservatorships for minors or incapacitated adults
    • Name changes
    • Involuntary and voluntary mental health commitments

    The Rowan County Clerk's Office maintains physical records of wills filed in the county. The clerk's legal records department covers documents from 1795 to the present, with indexes available going back to 1880 for most document types. Wills admitted to record and related probate filings held by the County Clerk can be viewed for free in the office or accessed remotely through eCCLIX with a registered account.

    For probate case records in the Circuit or District Court — such as letters testamentary, inventories, and orders of distribution — direct your request to:

    Office of Circuit Court Clerk
    Address: 700 W. Main Street, Morehead, KY 40351
    Phone: (606) 783-8505
    Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

    You can also search probate case records by name using the Kentucky eCourts online search, which provides case-level information for both active and closed probate matters. For additional guidance on requesting court case records — including matters stored at off-site record facilities — the Kentucky Court of Justice maintains detailed instructions through its court records request portal.