Simpson County Circuit Court
Kentucky uses a unified judicial branch called the Kentucky Court of Justice. The trial-court level has Circuit Court and District Court. The State Court Structure Map resolves Simpson County's primary trial court name to Circuit Court, while the existing project file remains `district-court.html` by instruction. For reader-facing content, this page uses Circuit Court terminology and explains District Court only as the lower trial court that handles separate categories of cases.
Circuit Court is the general-jurisdiction trial court for Simpson County's felony prosecutions, civil cases above $5,000, divorce, adoption, termination of parental rights, title disputes, contested probate matters, and appeals from District Court and administrative agencies. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk keeps local Circuit and District Court records at the Simpson County Justice Center. Beth Anne Fiss is listed by KCOJ as Circuit Court Clerk.
The KCOJ Simpson County page is the controlling local court page for courthouse location, clerk phones, payment options, parking, and record request guidance.
Simpson County Court List
The official research did not identify multiple numbered county courts, justice courts, separate probate courts, or a separate Simpson County family court division. The local court table therefore uses the verified Kentucky Court of Justice structure: Circuit Court and District Court at the Simpson County Justice Center, with one Office of Circuit Court Clerk serving as records custodian for both trial-court levels.
| Court or Office | Type | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson County Circuit Court | Primary trial court | 101 N. Court St., Franklin, KY 42134 | 270-586-4241 / 270-586-8910 |
| Simpson County District Court | Lower trial court | 101 N. Court St., Franklin, KY 42134 | 270-586-4241 / 270-586-8910 |
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk | Record custodian | 101 N. Court St., Franklin, KY 42134 | 270-586-4241 / 270-586-8910; fax 270-586-0265 |
| Kentucky Court of Appeals | State appellate court | Statewide | See kycourts.gov |
| Supreme Court of Kentucky | Court of last resort | Statewide | See kycourts.gov |
Circuit Court vs District Court
Simpson County does not use the Texas-style county court or justice court structure. The useful comparison is Circuit Court, District Court, and municipal or local citation channels where applicable. Circuit Court handles higher-level trial matters. District Court handles limited-jurisdiction matters and the first court stage for many criminal and traffic records.
| Topic | Circuit Court | District Court | Local Citation Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil cases | More than $5,000 and title disputes. | Lower-value civil matters and small claims. | May involve local code or citation processes where applicable. |
| Criminal cases | Felonies and capital offenses. | Misdemeanors and felony preliminary hearings. | Local citations may feed into District Court. |
| Family matters | Divorce, adoption, and termination of parental rights. | Juvenile matters within District Court jurisdiction. | Not the main family-case forum. |
| Probate | Contested probate matters. | Routine probate administration. | No stand-alone probate court was identified. |
| Records custodian | Office of Circuit Court Clerk at the Simpson County Justice Center. | ||
Simpson County Case Flow
Case flow depends on the charge or claim. A felony may begin with arrest, complaint, or citation information, appear first in District Court for preliminary matters, then move to Circuit Court after indictment or transfer. A civil Circuit Court case begins with a complaint or petition and proceeds through answer, motions, discovery, hearings, judgment, and possible appeal. A divorce begins in Circuit Court, while routine probate administration begins in District Court.
Criminal flow: Arrest or charge › first appearance or preliminary hearing › indictment or information › Circuit Court arraignment › pretrial activity › plea or trial › disposition › sentencing › appeal if filed.
Civil flow: Complaint or petition › service › answer › motions › discovery › settlement or trial › judgment › post-judgment activity › appeal if filed.
Simpson County Case Divisions
Circuit Court records may include felony criminal cases, higher civil matters, divorce files, adoption and termination matters, contested probate, and appeals from District Court or agencies. District Court records may include misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, probate administration, juvenile matters, mental-health proceedings, and felony preliminary hearings. Public access depends on the record type and any sealing, juvenile, adoption, mental-health, or redaction rules.
Divorce records are Circuit Court records. Marriage license records are not. They are County Clerk records. Probate records are usually District Court administration records, although contested probate may reach Circuit Court. Traffic records are usually District Court records unless a DUI or serious vehicle offense becomes part of a larger criminal case.
Search Simpson County Court Records
Simpson County court access has four official paths: KYeCourts public case information, KCOJ docket search, direct clerk request, and AOC background checks for criminal-history reports. KYeCourts guest access is statewide and free, but the public page is captcha-gated before deeper search fields load. The docket portal lets users choose Simpson County, Circuit or District division, date, courtroom, and subdivision. Docket results are not official and must be verified with the court record.
- Use KYeCourts guest access for free public case information where available.
- Use KCOJ dockets for hearing dates and daily docket searches.
- Call or visit the Circuit Court Clerk for certified copies, older files, and availability questions.
- Use KCOJ Background Checks or KSP background checks when an official criminal-history report is needed.
Note: Only the clerk can confirm where a Simpson County case record is stored and whether a copy can be released.
Simpson County Justice Center
The Simpson County Justice Center is located at 101 N. Court St., Franklin, Kentucky 42134. KCOJ lists payment options as cash, cashier's check, money order, credit card, and debit card, with a fee applying to card payments. The same page points to ePay for eligible online payments. Parking is listed as available across from the building, with designated parking for people with disability parking permits.
Simpson County Justice Center
101 N. Court St.
Franklin, KY 42134
270-586-4241 / 270-586-8910
Fax: 270-586-0265
Appeals and Federal Courts
Appeals from Simpson County trial-court cases may go to the Kentucky Court of Appeals and, in proper cases, the Supreme Court of Kentucky. Federal cases are different. Simpson County is in the federal Western District of Kentucky, and the closest federal division channel is Bowling Green. Federal docket and bankruptcy records generally use PACER and federal court systems, not the Simpson County Circuit Court Clerk.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky is a federal court source, not a Simpson County Circuit Court source.
Bankruptcy records follow federal court access rules and do not sit in the Simpson County trial-court file.
The Bankruptcy Court Bowling Green page explains that bankruptcy filings and fees go through the federal bankruptcy court structure.
That Bowling Green reference helps Simpson County users separate nearby federal access from local state court access.
The PACER federal court records portal is the main federal docket and document system.
PACER is useful when a matter is federal, but it is not used for Simpson County Circuit Court certified copies.
The PACER CM/ECF lookup for KYWBK identifies the Western District of Kentucky Bankruptcy Court filing system.
CM/ECF lookup applies to federal bankruptcy filings, while Simpson County state filings remain with Kentucky courts.
The Western District of Kentucky Bankruptcy CM/ECF system is another federal access path.
The CM/ECF system confirms the separate federal filing environment for bankruptcy cases.
The CourtListener legal opinion and docket resource may provide public legal materials but is not an official Simpson County court record custodian.
CourtListener can help with some public legal research, but official Simpson County court records remain with KYeCourts and the Circuit Court Clerk.