| Circuit Court Clerk | Hardin Circuit Court Clerk (9th Judicial Circuit) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701 |
| Phone | (270) 766-5000 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; phones answered until 3:30 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.25 per page |
| Certified copy fee | $5.00 per certification (AOC Form-060), plus $0.25 per page for the copies; $0.50 for an attestation |
Hardin County, home to Elizabethtown and the civilian side of Fort Knox, is Kentucky's sixth most populous county and makes up the 9th Judicial Circuit on its own. As in every Kentucky county, one elected Hardin Circuit Court Clerk (currently Deanna Simcoe) keeps the files for both Circuit Court — felonies, civil suits over $5,000, Family Court divorces and custody cases — and District Court — misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, probate, and juvenile matters. There is no separate district-court clerk to track down.
Everything is housed in the Hardin County Justice Center on East Dixie Avenue in downtown Elizabethtown. The clerk's office has separate fax lines for criminal/civil work and for the probate, domestic-violence, mental-health, and juvenile divisions, but a single main phone number and a single public counter. The office keeps slightly longer counter hours than most Kentucky clerks (until 4:30 p.m.) while phones are answered only until 3:30 p.m., so a phone call late in the afternoon may go unanswered even though the office is open.
Hardin County does not run its own case-search website. Docket lookups go through the statewide KYeCourts free guest login or a paid CourtNet 2.0 subscription, and the clerk's page on the Kentucky Court of Justice site also links to the statewide daily docket tool, which can be filtered to Hardin County. Do not confuse the Circuit Court Clerk with the separately elected Hardin County Clerk on North Provident Way, which handles deeds, marriage licenses, and vehicle titles rather than court cases.
Search Hardin County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Hardin Circuit Court Clerk (9th Judicial Circuit)
- Cost
- Copies $0.25 per page and $5.00 per certification at the clerk's office; the statewide KYeCourts guest search is free
- Coverage
- All Circuit Court (felony, civil, Family Court) and District Court (misdemeanor, traffic, small claims, probate, juvenile) cases filed in Hardin County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
The clerk does not operate a county-specific case-search site. The official Kentucky Court of Justice county page lists the office's address, phones, and hours and links to the statewide KYeCourts guest login and docket search.
Other courts
KYeCourts Public Court Records (free guest search)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Basic docket information for Hardin Circuit and District Court cases, plus ePay for fines and fees
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
The same statewide tool used for every Kentucky county; it shows case status and hearing dates but generally not document images.
What is available online
Hardin County case information is searched through the statewide KYeCourts guest login (free) or a CourtNet 2.0 subscription, not a county website. The Kentucky Court of Justice docket search (kcoj.kycourts.net/dockets) can be filtered to Hardin County by court and date to see what is scheduled. Neither tool provides most filed documents; plain and certified copies come from the clerk's counter. Older files may have been transferred to a state records facility or destroyed under the Court of Justice retention schedule, and the clerk will tell you which facility holds a file and give you the case and file locator numbers needed to request it.
Which clerk has your record
In Kentucky, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Kentucky page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | Felonies and capital offenses; Civil cases over $5,000; Divorce, custody, and other family-division cases | Circuit Court Clerk of the county |
| District Court | Misdemeanors, violations, and traffic offenses; Civil claims of $5,000 or less and small claims up to $2,500; Juvenile matters | Circuit Court Clerk of the county (same office keeps both Circuit and District Court records) |
Request records in person or by mail
Hardin County clerk offices
Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Phone: (270) 766-5000
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; phones answered until 3:30 p.m.
In person. Visit the Hardin Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center, 120 E. Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Bring the case number if you have it, or the party names and an approximate filing year, and say whether you need plain copies ($0.25 per page) or a certified copy ($5.00 certification fee plus the per-page charge). Free parking is available behind the building.
By phone or mail. Call (270) 766-5000 before 3:30 p.m. to confirm what the office needs in a written request and how to pay. The office has separate fax numbers for criminal/civil matters (270-769-6505) and for probate, domestic-violence, mental-health, and juvenile matters (270-766-5184).
Online. Check case status and hearing dates for free through the KYeCourts guest login, or use a paid CourtNet 2.0 account for fuller case histories. Fines and fees can be paid through the ePay option on the same login page.
Older records. If the clerk reports that a file has moved to a records facility, ask for the case and file locator numbers and request the file from the State Records Center in Frankfort or the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.25 per page |
| Certified copy | $5.00 per certification (AOC Form-060), plus $0.25 per page for the copies; $0.50 for an attestation |
Statewide rates set by the Administrative Office of the Courts in the Kentucky Circuit Court Clerks' Accounting Manual (Miscellaneous Fees, "Charges for Services": copy of a document $0.25 per page; preparing a certification $5.00 under CR 3.02(2); preparing an attestation $0.50). The same schedule applies in every county's circuit court clerk office. The Commonwealth and parties granted in forma pauperis status are exempt. Confirm the page count with the clerk before mailing payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Kentucky court records are generally open to the public, but several categories are removed from public search:
The Kentucky guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Which office keeps Hardin County court records?
The Hardin Circuit Court Clerk at the Hardin County Justice Center in Elizabethtown keeps all Circuit and District Court records for the county, including felonies, civil suits, family cases, misdemeanors, traffic, and probate. The Hardin County Clerk is a separate office for deeds, marriage licenses, and vehicle titles.
Can I search Hardin County court cases online?
Yes. Use the free KYeCourts guest login for basic case status and hearing dates, the statewide docket search filtered to Hardin County for scheduled hearings, or a paid CourtNet 2.0 subscription for fuller case histories. There is no separate Hardin County case-search website.
What are the Hardin Circuit Court Clerk's hours?
The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but phones are answered only until 3:30 p.m. Plan to call earlier in the day or visit in person after that time.
How much does a copy of a Hardin County court record cost?
Kentucky circuit court clerks charge $0.25 per page for copies and $5.00 to prepare a certification under the AOC's Circuit Court Clerks' Accounting Manual. Confirm the total with the clerk before mailing payment, since page counts vary by file.
Sources
- Kentucky Court of Justice — Hardin County Information — https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Hardin.aspx
- KYeCourts Public Court Records (guest login) — https://kcoj.kycourts.net/kyecourts/login/guestlogin
- Kentucky Circuit Court Clerks' Accounting Manual (AOC) — fee schedule — https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Documents/CCCAcctManual.pdf
- Kentucky Court of Justice — About the Courts — https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/pages/default.aspx
- Kentucky Court of Justice — Request Court Records — https://www.kycourts.gov/Pages/Request-Court-Records.aspx
- Kentucky Court of Justice — Circuit Court Clerks (county directory) — https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/default.aspx
- KYeCourts / CourtNet 2.0 login — https://kcoj.kycourts.net/kyecourts/Login
- C-Track Public Access (appellate case search) — https://appellatepublic.kycourts.net/
- Kentucky Court of Justice — Background Checks (AOC Records Unit) — https://www.kycourts.gov/AOC/Information-and-Technology/Pages/Background-Checks.aspx
- Kentucky Court of Justice — Expungement Certification Process — https://www.kycourts.gov/AOC/Information-and-Technology/Pages/Expungement.aspx
- KRS 431.076 — Expungement of Criminal Records for Certain Acquittals/Dismissals — https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=50191
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky — https://www.kyed.uscourts.gov/
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky — https://www.kywd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Kentucky counties.