Kentucky has 57 circuit-court districts and 60 district-court districts as well as a Court of Appeals and a Supreme Court. The judges on these courts are chosen in nonpartisan elections. In the event of midterm vacancies, the governor may appoint a replacement from a list of candidates recommended by the Kentucky Judicial Nominating Commission.
District Court has jurisdiction over juvenile matters, child abuse and neglect, and domestic violence cases, city and county ordinances, traffic offenses, misdemeanor criminal cases, probate, commitment/guardianship cases, felony preliminary hearings, and civil cases involving $4,000 or less.
Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction and preside over civil matters involving more than $4,000, capital offenses and felonies, divorces, adoptions, termination of parental rights, real estate title cases, contested probate cases, and appeals from the District Court and from administrative agencies.
Family Court is a division of Circuit Court and became a permanent part of Kentucky’s state court system with the 2002 passage of the Family Court Amendment to Kentucky’s state constitution. Family Court judges are judges of the Circuit Court, but Family Court hears only cases involving families and children and its jurisdiction includes divorce, child support and visitation, paternity, adoption, domestic violence cases, dependency, neglect and abuse cases, termination of parental rights, and runaways and truancy (status offenses).
Click here to see a map of Ky Judicial Districts.