Franklin County Circuit Court
Franklin County is in the 48th Judicial Circuit and 48th Judicial District. The Kentucky Court of Justice county page places Circuit Court, Family Court, District Court, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 222 Saint Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. KCOJ lists the local Circuit Court Clerk as Kem Marshall, with phone 502-564-7013 and fax 502-564-8188. Courthouse hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Circuit Court is Kentucky's court of general jurisdiction. It handles felony criminal cases, larger civil cases, appeals from District Court, and family matters where a Family Court division exists. Franklin Family Court is a division of Circuit Court for divorce, custody, domestic violence, dependency, neglect, abuse, and related domestic matters. District Court is a lower trial court for misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, probate, juvenile matters, and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
Franklin County Courthouse / Judicial Center
222 Saint Clair Street
Frankfort, KY 40601
502-564-7013
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Franklin County Circuit Divisions
The research identifies local judges and divisions rather than separate courthouse addresses. The same public counter and phone number serve the listed Franklin County court divisions at the Judicial Center. The table uses the official KCOJ division assignments found in the research.
| Court number | Type | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48th Judicial Circuit, Division 1 | Franklin Circuit Court, Judge Phillip Shepherd | 222 Saint Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 | 502-564-7013 |
| 48th Judicial Circuit, Division 2 | Franklin Circuit Court, Chief Circuit Judge Thomas D. Wingate | 222 Saint Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 | 502-564-7013 |
| 48th Judicial Circuit, Division 3 | Franklin Family Court, Judge Squire N. Williams III | 222 Saint Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 | 502-564-7013 |
| 48th Judicial District, Division 1 | Franklin District Court, Vice-Chief Regional District Judge Kathy R. Mangeot | 222 Saint Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 | 502-564-7013 |
| 48th Judicial District, Division 2 | Franklin District Court, Judge Chris Olds | 222 Saint Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 | 502-564-7013 |
Circuit Court vs District Court
Kentucky does not use county courts at law or JP courts for Franklin County court case records. The practical comparison is Circuit Court, Family Court as a Circuit division, and District Court. The Circuit Court Clerk keeps records for these local Kentucky trial courts.
| Issue | Circuit Court | Family Court division | District Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main role | General jurisdiction trial court | Circuit Court division for domestic and family matters | Limited-jurisdiction trial court |
| Criminal cases | Felony cases and appeals from District Court | Domestic violence and family-related matters when assigned | Misdemeanors, traffic, and preliminary felony hearings |
| Civil cases | Larger civil cases and appeals | Divorce, custody, dependency, neglect, abuse, and related matters | Small claims and smaller civil claims |
| Probate | Not the primary probate venue | Not the primary probate venue | Estates, wills admitted to probate, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health matters |
| Record office | Circuit Court Clerk | Circuit Court Clerk | Circuit Court Clerk |
Franklin County Case Flow
Case flow depends on case type. A felony can begin with arrest and District Court preliminary events before indictment or later Circuit Court proceedings. A misdemeanor or traffic case usually stays in District Court unless appealed. A divorce or custody case runs through Family Court as a Circuit Court division. A probate estate opens in District Court.
Felony flow: Arrest or complaint › District Court preliminary events › indictment or Circuit Court filing › arraignment › pretrial hearings › plea or trial › disposition › sentencing › appeal.
Civil flow: Complaint or petition › answer › motions › hearings › judgment or order › post-judgment filings › appeal if allowed.
Search Franklin Circuit Cases
Franklin County does not publish a separate local court case portal. Public case searching uses KYeCourts Public Court Records and the KCOJ Docket Information portal. KYeCourts guest access requires reCAPTCHA verification. The docket portal lets users select Franklin County, Circuit or District division, date, courtroom, and subdivision.
| Search route | Best for | Fallback |
|---|---|---|
| KYeCourts Public Court Records | Public case lookup after guest verification | Call or visit the Circuit Court Clerk |
| KCOJ Docket Information | Hearing date, county, division, courtroom, and subdivision searches | Use the court notice or clerk phone line |
| Circuit Court Clerk | Certified copies, older files, stored records, and public counter help | Ask for file locator numbers if stored off site |
Franklin Specialty Court Records
Kentucky specialty courts are statewide problem-solving programs administered through the Kentucky Court of Justice. They are not separate record repositories. Franklin County defendants may see specialty court references in Circuit or District Court criminal records if placed in a program. Eligibility depends on offense, assessment, prosecutor position, judge approval, and program capacity.
Kentucky specialty courts information explains drug court, mental health court, veterans treatment court, and family recovery court models.
Specialty court references should be read as court-supervised tracks within a case, not as a separate Franklin County record database.
Franklin Criminal Court Offices
Kentucky uses Commonwealth's Attorneys for felony and serious criminal prosecution by judicial circuit and County Attorneys for county government representation plus many misdemeanor, juvenile, or local prosecution functions depending on case type. The Attorney General directory lists Hon. Larry Cleveland as Commonwealth's Attorney for the 48th Circuit, Franklin, at the Franklin County Judicial Center. The Franklin County Attorney page lists Max Comley as County Attorney at 222 St. Clair Street, Suite 2007.
| Office | Role | Contact from research |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland | Felony and serious criminal prosecution for the 48th Circuit | 222 Saint Clair Street, 3rd Floor, Frankfort, phone 502-564-4741 |
| County Attorney Max Comley | County legal counsel and certain local prosecution functions | 222 St. Clair Street, Suite 2007, P.O. Box 73, phone 502-875-8745 |
| Department of Public Advocacy | Public defender routing for indigent-defense questions | Frankfort Trial Office page listed in research |
Federal Courts Near Franklin
Federal cases are not Franklin County Circuit Court records and are not searched through KYeCourts. Franklin County is in the Eastern District of Kentucky for federal district and bankruptcy matters. Federal appeals go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Use PACER, CM/ECF, or the relevant federal court clerk for federal records.
Eastern District of Kentucky CM/ECF is one federal filing and docket system tied to federal cases, not Franklin County Circuit Court files.
CM/ECF belongs to the federal court system, so county trial court users should not expect Franklin Circuit Court cases there.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky handles federal criminal, civil-rights, federal agency, diversity, habeas, and other federal cases.
This source helps separate Franklin County Circuit Court records from federal district court records.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky handles bankruptcy petitions, adversary proceedings, claims, and discharge orders.
Bankruptcy records are federal records, so they should not be requested from the Franklin County Circuit Court Clerk.
PACER is the national federal account system for federal case searches, docket reports, and document access.
PACER is useful for federal records only, while Franklin County Circuit Court records remain in Kentucky court channels.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit hears federal appeals from Kentucky federal courts.
The Sixth Circuit source completes the federal routing chain that sits outside the Franklin County Circuit Court system.
Franklin Court History
Kentucky's unified court system was created after voters approved the Judicial Article in 1975 and the reform took effect January 1, 1976. KCOJ says Kentucky previously had more than 300 local courts with overlapping responsibilities and inconsistent procedures. Franklin County now operates within the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, and District Court structure administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Franklin County's court history also reflects Frankfort's role as the state capital. The county page lists local trial judges along with appellate and Supreme Court officials assigned by district. Recent court-building logistics have changed as well. A Kentucky.gov release said Franklin County courts were relocating again in June 2025, while the mailing address remained Franklin Circuit Court Clerk, 222 St. Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601.
Note: Before an in-person visit, verify the current public counter if an active relocation notice appears on official KCOJ pages.