Kentucky Circuit Courts
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky Circuit Courts are the state courts of general jurisdiction
in the U.S. state
of Kentucky
.
The Circuit Courts are trial court
s with original jurisdiction
in cases involving capital offenses
, felonies
, land disputes, contested probate
s of wills
, and civil
lawsuit
s in disputes with an amount in controversy
over $4,000. Circuit courts also have the power to issue injunction
s, writ
s of prohibition
, writs of mandamus
, and appeal
s from the decisions of administrative agencies
. They also hear appeal
s from the district courts (which are courts of limited jurisdiction
in Kentucky that hear misdemeanor
criminal cases and small claims
), making the Circuit Courts superior court
s).
The family court division of the Circuit Courts have original jurisdiction in cases involving dissolution of marriage
(divorce), child custody
, visitation
, maintenance and support (alimony
and child support
), equitable distribution of property
in dissolution cases; adoption
, and termination of parental rights. The family court division of Circuit Court also has concurrent jurisdiction
with the District Court over proceedings involving domestic violence and abuse
, the Uniform Act on Paternity and the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
, dependency
, child abuse and neglect
, and juvenile
status offense
s.
Circuit judge
s serve in eight-year terms. There are 57 circuits, which may have one or more judges, depending on the population and docket size. Circuits may include one or more counties; some have up to four.
Appeals from decisions of the Circuit Courts are made to the Kentucky Court of Appeals
, the state intermediate appellate court
, which may be further appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court
, the state supreme court
. (Criminal cases in which a defendant
has been sentenced to death, life imprisonment
, or imprisonment of 20 years or more are taken directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court
.)
General jurisdiction
A court of general jurisdiction is one that has the authority to hear cases of all kinds - criminal, civil, family, probate, and so forth.-Courts of general jurisdiction in the United States:All federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. Many U.S...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
The Circuit Courts are trial court
Trial court
A trial court or court of first instance is a court in which trials take place. Such courts are said to have original jurisdiction.- In the United States :...
s with original jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
The original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review a lower court's decision.-France:...
in cases involving capital offenses
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, felonies
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
, land disputes, contested probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
s of wills
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, and civil
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s in disputes with an amount in controversy
Amount in controversy
Amount in controversy is a term used in United States civil procedure to denote the amount at stake in a lawsuit, in particular in connection with a requirement that persons seeking to bring a lawsuit in a particular court must be suing for a certain minimum amount before that court may hear the...
over $4,000. Circuit courts also have the power to issue injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
s, writ
Writ
In common law, a writ is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court...
s of prohibition
Prohibition (writ)
A writ of prohibition is a writ directing a subordinate to stop doing something the law prohibits. In practice, the Court directs the Clerk to issue the Writ, and directs the Sheriff to serve it on the subordinate, and the Clerk prepares the Writ and gives it to the Sheriff, who serves it.This...
, writs of mandamus
Mandamus
A writ of mandamus or mandamus , or sometimes mandate, is the name of one of the prerogative writs in the common law, and is "issued by a superior court to compel a lower court or a government officer to perform mandatory or purely ministerial duties correctly".Mandamus is a judicial remedy which...
, and appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
s from the decisions of administrative agencies
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
. They also hear appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
s from the district courts (which are courts of limited jurisdiction
Limited jurisdiction
Limited jurisdiction, or special jurisdiction, is the courts' jurisdiction only on certain types of cases such as bankruptcy, family matters, etc....
in Kentucky that hear misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
criminal cases and small claims
Small claims court
Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and the name by which such a court is known varies by jurisdiction; it may be known as a county or magistrate's court...
), making the Circuit Courts superior court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
s).
The family court division of the Circuit Courts have original jurisdiction in cases involving dissolution of marriage
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
(divorce), child custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
, visitation
Contact (law)
In family law, contact is one of the general terms which denotes the level of contact a parent or other significant person in a child's life can have with that child...
, maintenance and support (alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
and child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
), equitable distribution of property
Division of property
Division of property, also known as equitable distribution, is a judicial division of property rights and obligations between spouses during divorce...
in dissolution cases; adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
, and termination of parental rights. The family court division of Circuit Court also has concurrent jurisdiction
Concurrent jurisdiction
Concurrent jurisdiction exists where two or more courts from different systems simultaneously have jurisdiction over a specific case. This situation leads to forum shopping, as parties will try to have their civil or criminal case heard in the court that they perceive will be most favorable to...
with the District Court over proceedings involving domestic violence and abuse
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, the Uniform Act on Paternity and the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act is one of the uniform acts drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in the United States. First developed in 1992 the NCCUSL revised the act in 1996 and again in 2001 with additional amendments in 2008...
, dependency
Dependant
This article is related to law. For the personality trait, see Dependent Personality DisorderA dependant or dependent is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income...
, child abuse and neglect
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, and juvenile
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
status offense
Status offense
Two common definitions of a status offense or status crime are1. A status offense is an action that is prohibited only to a certain class of people, and most often applied to offenses only committed by minors....
s.
Circuit judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s serve in eight-year terms. There are 57 circuits, which may have one or more judges, depending on the population and docket size. Circuits may include one or more counties; some have up to four.
Appeals from decisions of the Circuit Courts are made to the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
, the state intermediate appellate court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
, which may be further appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court
Kentucky Supreme Court
The Kentucky Supreme Court was created by a 1975 constitutional amendment and is the state supreme court of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Prior to that the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky...
, the state supreme court
State supreme court
In the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
. (Criminal cases in which a defendant
Defendant
A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute...
has been sentenced to death, life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
, or imprisonment of 20 years or more are taken directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court
Kentucky Supreme Court
The Kentucky Supreme Court was created by a 1975 constitutional amendment and is the state supreme court of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Prior to that the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky...
.)
Circuits
- First Circuit - HickmanHickman County, KentuckyHickman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1822. The elevation in the county ranges from to above sea level. As of 2000, the population was 5,262. Its county seat is Clinton. It is the least densely populated county in the state and is a prohibition or...
, FultonFulton County, KentuckyFulton County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1845 from Hickman County, Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 7,752. Its county seat is Hickman. The county is named for American inventor Robert Fulton...
, CarlisleCarlisle County, KentuckyCarlisle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1886 and as of 2000, had a population of 5,351. Its county seat is Bardwell, Kentucky. The county is named for John Griffin Carlisle, a Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky...
, BallardBallard County, KentuckyBallard County is a county located in west of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was created by the Kentucky State Legislature in 1842, and is named for Captain Bland Ballard, a soldier, statesman, and member of the Kentucky General Assembly. He was one of the few Kentucky volunteers to survive the... - Second Circuit - McCrackenMcCracken County, KentuckyMcCracken County is a county located in the Jackson Purchase, the extreme western end of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 65,514. The county seat, largest city, and only incorporated community is Paducah....
- Third Circuit - ChristianChristian County, KentuckyChristian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
- Fourth Circuit - HopkinsHopkins County, KentuckyHopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
- Fifth Circuit - CrittendenCrittenden County, KentuckyCrittenden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky.It was formed in 1842. As of 2000, the population was 9,384. Its county seat is Marion. The county is named for John J. Crittenden who was Governor of Kentucky 1848-1850...
, WebsterWebster County, KentuckyWebster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Webster County was formed in 1860 from parts of the counties of Henderson, Hopkins, and Union. As of 2000, the population is 14,120. Its county seat is Dixon. The county was named for American statesman Daniel Webster...
, UnionUnion County, KentuckyUnion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1811. As of 2010, the population was 15,007. Its county seat is Morganfield.-Geography:Union County is part of the Western Coal Fields region of Kentucky... - Sixth Circuit - DaviessDaviess County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 91,545 people, 36,033 households, and 24,826 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 38,432 housing units at an average density of...
- Seventh Circuit - LoganLogan County, KentuckyLogan County is a county located in the southwest area of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 26,573. Its county seat is Russellville...
, ToddTodd County, KentuckyTodd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population is 11,971. Its county seat is Elkton. The county is named after Colonel John Todd, who was killed at the Battle of Blue Licks in 1782... - Eighth Circuit - WarrenWarren County, KentuckyWarren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky, specifically the Pennyroyal Plateau and Western Coal Fields regions. It is included in the Bowling Green, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 113,792 in the 2010 Census. The county seat is Bowling Green...
- Ninth Circuit - HardinHardin County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 94,174 people, 34,497 households, and 25,355 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 37,673 housing units at an average density of...
- Tenth Circuit - NelsonNelson County, KentuckyNelson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 43,437. Its county seat is Bardstown. The county is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, LaRueLaRue County, KentuckyLaRue County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is included in the Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 13,373. Its county seat is Hodgenville...
, HartHart County, KentuckyHart County is a county located in the U.S. state — or, more correctly, "Commonwealth" — of Kentucky. It was formed in 1819. , the population was 17,445. Its county seat is Munfordville. The county is named for Captain Nathaniel G. S. Hart, a Kentucky militia officer in the War of 1812... - Eleventh Circuit - TaylorTaylor County, KentuckyTaylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 22,927. Its county seat is Campbellsville. The county is named for President Zachary Taylor, who served from 1849 to 1850. Taylor is a moist county...
, GreenGreen County, KentuckyGreen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1793. As of 2000, the population was 11,518. Its county seat is Greensburg. The county is named for Nathanael Greene...
, MarionMarion County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 18,212 people, 6,613 households, and 4,754 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 7,277 housing units at an average density of...
, WashingtonWashington County, KentuckyWashington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 10,916. Its county seat is Springfield. The county is named for George Washington. Washington County was the first county formed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky when it reached statehood... - Twelfth Circuit - OldhamOldham County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 46,178 people, 14,856 households, and 12,196 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,541 housing units at an average density of...
, HenryHenry County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 15,060 people, 5,844 households, and 4,330 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 6,381 housing units at an average density of...
, TrimbleTrimble County, KentuckyTrimble County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 8,125. Its county seat is Bedford. The county is named for Robert Trimble. Trimble is a prohibition or dry county. It is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical... - Thirteenth Circuit - JessamineJessamine County, KentuckyJessamine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is within the Inner Blue Grass region, which was the center of farming and blooded stock raising, including thoroughbred horses. It was formed in 1799. The population was 48,586 in the 2010 Census...
, GarrardGarrard County, KentuckyGarrard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is pronounced 'Gair-ad' with the third "r" silent. It was formed in 1797 and was named for James Garrard, Governor of Kentucky from 1796 to 1804. Its county seat is Lancaster. The population was 16,912 in the 2010 Census... - Fourteenth Circuit - BourbonBourbon County, KentuckyBourbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the remnant of what was previously a much larger Bourbon County, established as part of Virginia in 1785, and comprising what are now thirty-four modern Kentucky counties...
, ScottScott County, KentuckyScott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 47,173 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Georgetown.Scott County is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, WoodfordWoodford County, KentuckyWoodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge... - Fifteenth Circuit - CarrollCarroll County, KentuckyCarroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky and located at the confluence of the Kentucky and Ohio rivers. It was formed in 1838 and named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence. The population was 10,155 at the 2000 census...
, OwenOwen County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 10,547 people, 4,086 households, and 2,995 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 5,345 housing units at an average density of...
, GrantGrant County, KentuckyGrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1820. As of 2000, the population was 22,384. Its county seat is Williamstown... - Sixteenth Circuit - KentonKenton County, KentuckyKenton County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, United States. It was formed in 1840. In 2010, the population was 159,720. It is the third most populous county in Kentucky behind Jefferson County and Fayette County. Its county seats are Covington and Independence...
- Seventeenth Circuit - CampbellCampbell County, KentuckyCampbell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed on December 17, 1794, from sections of Scott, Harrison and Mason counties. As of 2010, the population was 90,336. Its county seats are Alexandria and Newport...
- Eighteenth Circuit - PendletonPendleton County, KentuckyPendleton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 14,390. Its county seat is Falmouth.- Geography :...
, HarrisonHarrison County, KentuckyHarrison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1794. As of 2010, the population was 18,846. Its county seat is Cynthiana...
, NicholasNicholas County, KentuckyNicholas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 6,813. Its county seat is Carlisle. The county is named for George Nicholas, the "Father of the Kentucky Constitution".- Geography :...
, RobertsonRobertson County, KentuckyRobertson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 2,282. Its county seat is Mount Olivet, Kentucky. The county is named for George Robertson, a Kentucky Congressman from 1817 to 1821. Robertson is a prohibition or dry county... - Nineteenth Circuit - BrackenBracken County, KentuckyBracken County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. The population was 8,488 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Brooksville, Kentucky.-History:...
, FlemingFleming County, KentuckyFleming County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1798. As of 2000, the population was 13,792. Its county seat is Flemingsburg. The county is named for Colonel John Fleming. It's a prohibition or dry county...
, MasonMason County, KentuckyMason County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,800. Its county seat is Maysville. The county is named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights"... - Twentieth Circuit - LewisLewis County, KentuckyLewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 14,092. Its county seat is Vanceburg. The county is named for Meriwether Lewis.Lewis County is part of the Maysville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, GreenupGreenup County, KentuckyGreenup County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1804. As of 2000, the population was 36,891. Its county seat is Greenup. The county is named in honor of Christopher Greenup.... - Twenty-first Circuit - BathBath County, KentuckyBath County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1811. As of 2010 the population is 11,591. Its county seat is Owingsville, Kentucky...
, MenifeeMenifee County, KentuckyMenifee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 6,556. Its county seat is Frenchburg. The county is named for Richard Hickman Menefee, U.S. Congressman, although the spelling has changed. It is a prohibition or dry county.Menifee County is located...
, MontgomeryMontgomery County, KentuckyMontgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 26,499. Its county seat is Mount Sterling. With regard to the sale of alcohol, it is classified as a moist county—a county in which alcohol sales are prohibited , but containing a "wet" city where package...
, RowanRowan County, KentuckyRowan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 23,333. Its county seat is Morehead. The county was created in 1856 from adjacent counties originally part of Mason county, and named for John Rowan, who represented Kentucky in the U.S... - Twenty-second Circuit - FayetteFayette County, KentuckyFayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
- Twenty-third Circuit - EstillEstill County, KentuckyEstill County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1808. As of 2000, the population was 15,307. Its county seat is Irvine, Kentucky. Formed in 1808, the county is named after Captain James Estill, a Kentucky militia officer killed in the Battle of Little Mountain...
, LeeLee County, KentuckyLee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 7,916. Its county seat is Beattyville. It is a prohibition or dry county.-History:...
, OwsleyOwsley County, KentuckyOwsley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 4,858. Its county seat is Booneville. The county is named for William Owsley, the Governor of Kentucky from 1844 to 1848. It is a prohibition or dry county... - Twenty-fourth Circuit - MartinMartin County, KentuckyMartin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 12,929. Its county seat is Inez. The county is named for Congressman John Preston Martin...
, LawrenceLawrence County, KentuckyLawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 15,569. Its county seat is Louisa. The county is named for James Lawrence, and co-founded by Isaac Bolt, who served as a Lawrence County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. It is the home of...
, JohnsonJohnson County, KentuckyJohnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1843. As of 2000, the population was 23,445. Its county seat is Paintsville... - Twenty-fifth Circuit - ClarkClark County, KentuckyClark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1793. The population was 35,613 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Winchester, Kentucky...
, MadisonMadison County, KentuckyMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2008, the population was 82,192. Its county seat is Richmond. The county is named for Virginia statesman James Madison, who later became the fourth President of the United States. This is also where famous pioneer Daniel... - Twenty-sixth Circuit - HarlanHarlan County, KentuckyHarlan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1819. As of 2000, the population was 33,200. Its county seat is Harlan...
- Twenty-seventh Circuit - KnoxKnox County, KentuckyKnox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,795. Its county seat is Barbourville. The county is named for General Henry Knox...
, LaurelLaurel County, KentuckyLaurel County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 58,849 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is London.The London Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Laurel County.... - Twenty-eighth Circuit - LincolnLincoln County, KentuckyLincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 24,742 in the 2010 Cesus. Its county seat is Stanford. Lincoln is a prohibition or "dry county" and is part of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, RockcastleRockcastle County, KentuckyRockcastle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,582. Its county seat is Mt. Vernon. The county is named for the Rockcastle River which runs through it...
, PulaskiPulaski County, KentuckyPulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 63,063 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Somerset6. The county is named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski. Most of the county is a prohibition or dry county... - Twenty-ninth Circuit - AdairAdair County, KentuckyAdair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 18,656. Its county seat is Columbia, Kentucky. The county is named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky ....
, CaseyCasey County, KentuckyCasey County is a county located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2010, the population was 15,955. Its county seat is Liberty, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel William Casey. It is the only Kentucky county entirely in Knobs region. Casey County is home to... - Thirtieth Circuit - JeffersonJefferson County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
- Thirty-first Circuit - FloydFloyd County, KentuckyFloyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1800. As of 2000, the population was 42,441. Its county seat is Prestonsburg. The county is named for Colonel John Floyd .-History:...
- Thirty-second Circuit - BoydBoyd County, KentuckyBoyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1860. Its are found at the northeastern edge of the state the near the Ohio River and Big Sandy River, nestled in the verdant rolling hills of Appalachia. The county seat is Catlettsburg. Its largest municipality is...
- Thirty-third Circuit - Perry Perry County, KentuckyPerry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 29,390. Its county seat is Hazard. The county is named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a naval hero in the War of 1812.- Geography :...
- Thirty-fourth Circuit - McCrearyMcCreary County, KentuckyMcCreary County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 17,080. Its county seat is Whitley City. The county is named for James B. McCreary, a Confederate war hero and Governor of Kentucky from 1875 to 1879. It is the only Kentucky county to not have a...
, WhitleyWhitley County, KentuckyWhitley County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. 2005 census projections list its population at 38,029 . The county seat is at Williamsburg, though the largest city is Corbin, and the county's District Court sits in both cities... - Thirty-fifth Circuit - PikePike County, KentuckyPike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 65,024. Its county seat is Pikeville. Pike is Kentucky's largest county in terms of land area. Pike County is the 11th largest county in Kentucky in terms of population preceded by Bullitt County and...
- Thirty-sixth Circuit - MagoffinMagoffin County, KentuckyMagoffin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky which was formed from parts of Floyd, Johnson, and Morgan Counties and officially created on 22 February 1860. As of 2000, the population was 13,332. Its county seat is Salyersville...
, KnottKnott County, KentuckyKnott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1884. As of 2000, the population was 17,649. Its county seat is Hindman. The county is named for James Proctor Knott, Governor of Kentucky . It is a prohibition or dry county. Notable inhabitants include U.S.... - Thirty-seventh Circuit - CarterCarter County, KentuckyCarter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1838 and was named for William Grayson Carter, a state senator at the time of its creation. The county seat is named for his uncle, Robert Grayson. As of 2000, the population was 26,889. Its county seat is Grayson,...
, ElliottElliott County, KentuckyElliott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1869. As of 2000, the population is 6,748. Its county seat is Sandy Hook, Kentucky. The county is named for John Milton Elliott, U.S. Congressman; Confederate Justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals...
, MorganMorgan County, KentuckyMorgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 13,948. Its county seat is West Liberty. The county is among the dry counties, which means that the sale of alcohol is restricted or prohibited.- Geography :... - Thirty-eighth Circuit - ButlerButler County, KentuckyButler County is a county located in the US state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1810, becoming Kentucky's 53rd county. As of 2000, the population was 13,010. Its county seat is Morgantown, Kentucky. Butler is a prohibition or dry county.- History :...
, EdmonsonEdmonson County, KentuckyEdmonson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1826. As of 2007, the population was 11,978. It is included in the Bowling Green Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Brownsville...
, HancockHancock County, KentuckyHancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1829. As of 2000, the population was 8,392. It is included in the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Hawesville. The county is named for John Hancock...
, OhioOhio County, KentuckyOhio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 22,916. Its county seat is Hartford. The county is named for the Ohio River, which originally formed its northern boundary. It is a dry county, which means that the sale of alcohol is restricted or... - Thirty-ninth Circuit - BreathittBreathitt County, KentuckyBreathitt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1839.The population was 13,878 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Jackson, Kentucky. The county is named for John Breathitt who was Governor of Kentucky from 1832 to 1834...
, PowellPowell County, KentuckyPowell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population is 13,237. Its county seat is Stanton. The county was formed January 7, 1852, by Kentucky Governor Lazarus W. Powell...
, WolfeWolfe County, KentuckyWolfe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 7,065. Its county seat is Campton. The county is named for Nathaniel Wolfe.- Geography :... - Fortieth Circuit - ClintonClinton County, KentuckyClinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1836. As of 2000, the population was 9,634. Its name is in honor of the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton. Its county seat is Albany, Kentucky, and it is a prohibition or dry county...
, CumberlandCumberland County, KentuckyCumberland County is a county located in the state of Kentucky in the United States. It was formed in 1799. As of 2000, the population was 7,147. Its county seat is Burkesville, Kentucky...
, MonroeMonroe County, KentuckyMonroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 11,756. Its county seat is Tompkinsville. The county is named for President James Monroe. It is a prohibition or dry county.-History:... - Forty-first Circuit - ClayClay County, Kentucky- Demographics :As of the census of 2011, there were 21,000 people, 8,556 households, and 6,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 9,439 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, JacksonJackson County, KentuckyJackson County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was formed in 1858 and was named for President Andrew Jackson. As of 2000, the population was 13,495. Its county seat is McKee. It is a prohibition or dry county...
, LeslieLeslie County, KentuckyLeslie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 12,401. Its county seat is Hyden. The county is named for Preston H. Leslie, Governor of Kentucky... - Forty-second Circuit - CallowayCalloway County, KentuckyCalloway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1823. As of 2010, the population was 37,191. Its county seat is Murray, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel Richard Callaway, one of the founders of Boonesborough...
, MarshallMarshall County, KentuckyMarshall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 30,125. The 2007 Census Bureau population estimate was 31,258. Its county seat is Benton. It was a dry county until 2004, when residents of Calvert City voted to allow sales of liquor by the drink in... - Forty-third Circuit - BarrenBarren County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 38,033 people, 15,346 households, and 10,941 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 17,095 housing units at an average density of...
, MetcalfeMetcalfe County, KentuckyMetcalfe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 10,037. Its county seat is Edmonton. The county is named for Thomas Metcalfe, Governor of Kentucky from 1828-32... - Forty-fourth Circuit - BellBell County, KentuckyBell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed August 1, 1867, from parts of Knox and Harlan Counties and augmented from Knox County in 1872. As of 2010 the population was 69,060. Its county seat is Pineville...
- Forty-fifth Circuit - McLeanMcLean County, KentuckyMcLean County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky; its population was 9,938 in the 2000 Census. McLean County's county seat is at Calhoun....
, MuhlenbergMuhlenberg County, KentuckyMuhlenberg County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 31,499. The county is named for Peter Muhlenberg. Its county seat is Greenville.... - Forty-sixth Circuit - BreckinridgeBreckinridge County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 18,648 people, 7,324 households, and 5,309 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,890 housing units at an average density of...
, GraysonGrayson County, KentuckyGrayson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1810. As of 2000, the population was 24,053. Its county seat is Leitchfield. The county is named for William Grayson , a Revolutionary War colonel and a prominent Virginia political figure...
, MeadeMeade County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 26,349 people, 9,470 households, and 7,396 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 10,293 housing units at an average density of... - Forty-seventh Circuit - LetcherLetcher County, KentuckyLetcher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 25,277. Its county seat is Whitesburg. The county is named for Robert P...
- Forty-eighth Circuit - FranklinFranklin County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 47,687 people, 19,907 households, and 12,840 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 21,409 housing units at an average density of...
- Forty-ninth Circuit - AllenAllen County, KentuckyAllen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 19,956. Its county seat is Scottsville, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel John Allen, who was killed at the Battle of Frenchtown, Michigan during the War of 1812. Allen County is a prohibition or...
, SimpsonSimpson County, KentuckySimpson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,405. Its county seat is Franklin. The county is named for Captain John Simpson, a Kentucky militia officer who fought in Battle of Fallen Timbers in the Northwest Indian War, and was killed in the... - Fiftieth Circuit - BoyleBoyle County, KentuckyBoyle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Its county seat is Danville. In 2000, its population was 28,432. It was formed in 1842 and named for John Boyle , a U.S...
, MercerMercer County, KentuckyMercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer... - Fifty-first Circuit - HendersonHenderson County, KentuckyHenderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1799. As the latest census data update of 2010, the population was counted 46,250. The county seat is the City of Henderson. The county was named for Colonel Richard Henderson who originally purchased of land...
- Fifty-second Circuit - GravesGraves County, KentuckyGraves County is a county located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was formed in 1824. As of 2000, the population was 37,028. Its county seat is Mayfield. The county is named for Major Benjamin Franklin Graves, soldier in the War of 1812...
- Fifty-third Circuit - AndersonAnderson County, KentuckyAnderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1827. In 2010 the population was 21,421. Its county seat is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The county is named for Richard Clough Anderson, Jr., a Kentucky Legislator, U.S...
, ShelbyShelby County, KentuckyShelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 42,074. Its name is in honor of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky. Its county seat is Shelbyville...
, SpencerSpencer County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 11,766 people, 4,251 households, and 3,358 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,555 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.50% White, 1.13% Black or African American, 0.22% Native... - Fifty-fourth Circuit - BooneBoone County, KentuckyBoone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1798. The population was 118,811 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Burlington. The county is named for frontiersman Daniel Boone...
, GallatinGallatin County, KentuckyGallatin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky along the Ohio River, which at its formation was the main transportation route. It was formed in 1799. As of 2000, the population was 7,870. Its county seat is Warsaw... - Fifty-fifth Circuit - BullittBullitt County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,236 people, 22,171 households, and 17,736 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 23,160 housing units at an average density of...
- Fifty-sixth Circuit - CaldwellCaldwell County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 12,984 people, with 6,292 households in the county.-Communities:*Bakers*Baldwin Ford*Black Hawk*The Bluff*Cedar Bluff*Claxton*Cobb*Cresswell*Crider*Crowtown*Enon*Farmersville*Flat Rock*Friendship*Fryer...
, LivingstonLivingston County, KentuckyLivingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 9,804. Its county seat is Smithland. The county is named for Robert R. Livingston...
, LyonLyon County, KentuckyLyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 8,080. Its county seat is Eddyville. Created from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854, the county was named for former Congressman Chittenden Lyon....
, TriggTrigg County, KentuckyTrigg County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1820. As of 2000, the population was 12,597. Its county seat is Cadiz. The county is named for Stephen Trigg, a frontier officer in the American Revolutionary War who died in the Battle of Blue Licks... - Fifty-seventh Circuit - RussellRussell County, KentuckyRussell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 17,565 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Jamestown. The county is named for William Russell...
, WayneWayne County, KentuckyWayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 19,923. Its county seat is Monticello. The county was named for Gen. Anthony Wayne. It is a prohibition or dry county.-History:...