| Circuit Court Clerk | Madison Circuit Court Clerk (25th Judicial Circuit and District) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Madison County Courthouse, 101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475 |
| Phone | (859) 624-4713 (Main and Circuit Court); (859) 624-4722 (District Court and Traffic); (859) 624-4723 (District Civil, Mental Health, Probate, Forcible Detainers); (859) 627-5524 (Family Court) |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 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 |
Madison County, south of Lexington and home to Richmond, Berea, and Eastern Kentucky University, is Kentucky's eighth most populous county and makes up the 25th Judicial Circuit and 25th Judicial District on its own. The elected Madison Circuit Court Clerk (currently David M. Fernandez) is the custodian of record for both Circuit Court — felonies, civil suits over $5,000, and Family Court — and District Court — misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, probate, mental-health, and forcible-detainer (eviction) cases.
The clerk's office is in the Madison County Courthouse at 101 W. Main St. in downtown Richmond. It publishes separate phone lines for the main/Circuit Court desk, Traffic, District Court, the District Civil/Mental Health/Probate/Forcible Detainer division, and Family Court, so a caller who knows the case type can reach the right desk directly. Office hours are the standard Kentucky clerk schedule of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Madison County does not have its own case-search website. Docket lookups run through the statewide KYeCourts free guest login or a paid CourtNet 2.0 subscription, and fines and fees can be paid online through the state ePay link on the clerk's Kentucky Court of Justice page. The separately elected Madison County Clerk, a different office, handles deeds, marriage licenses, and vehicle titles rather than court cases.
Search Madison County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Madison Circuit Court Clerk (25th Judicial Circuit and District)
- 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, mental health, evictions) cases filed in Madison 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 address, division phone numbers, and hours, and links to the statewide KYeCourts/ePay system.
Other courts
KYeCourts Public Court Records (free guest search)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Basic docket information for Madison 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
Madison County case information is searched through the statewide KYeCourts guest login (free) or a CourtNet 2.0 subscription rather than a county website. The statewide docket search can be filtered to Madison County to see scheduled hearings. Document images are generally not online; plain and certified copies come from the clerk's office. Depending on the case type and age, a closed file may be at the clerk's office, at a state records facility, or destroyed under the Court of Justice retention schedule. If a file is at a records facility and open to the public, the clerk will identify the facility and provide the case and file locator numbers.
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
Madison County clerk offices
Madison County Courthouse, 101 W. Main St., Richmond, KY 40475
Phone: (859) 624-4713 (Main and Circuit Court); (859) 624-4722 (District Court and Traffic); (859) 624-4723 (District Civil, Mental Health, Probate, Forcible Detainers); (859) 627-5524 (Family Court)
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
In person. Visit the Madison Circuit Court Clerk at the Madison County Courthouse, 101 W. Main St., Richmond, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring the case number, or the party names and an approximate filing year, and specify plain copies ($0.25 per page) or a certified copy ($5.00 certification plus the per-page charge).
By phone or mail. Call the division that handled the case — (859) 624-4713 for Circuit Court, (859) 624-4722 for District Court or Traffic, (859) 624-4723 for probate, mental-health, or eviction matters, or (859) 627-5524 for Family Court — to confirm what a written request must include, the fee total, and accepted payment methods before mailing it to the courthouse address.
Online. Check case status for free through the KYeCourts guest login, or use a paid CourtNet 2.0 subscription for fuller case histories. Fines and fees can be paid through the state ePay system.
Older records. If a file has been transferred, ask the clerk 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 Madison County (Richmond) court records?
The Madison Circuit Court Clerk at the Madison County Courthouse keeps all Circuit and District Court records for the county, including felonies, civil suits, family cases, misdemeanors, traffic, probate, and evictions. The Madison County Clerk is a separate office for deeds and licenses.
Which number do I call about a Madison County eviction or probate case?
The District Civil, Mental Health, Probate, and Forcible Detainer division at (859) 624-4723. Traffic and other District Court matters use (859) 624-4722, Circuit Court uses (859) 624-4713, and Family Court uses (859) 627-5524.
Can I search Madison County court cases online?
Yes, through the free KYeCourts guest login or a paid CourtNet 2.0 subscription, the same statewide systems used for every Kentucky county. There is no separate Madison County case-search website.
Do Berea cases go to the Madison Circuit Court Clerk?
Yes. Madison County is a single judicial circuit and district, so Circuit and District Court cases arising anywhere in the county, including Berea, are filed and kept at the clerk's office in Richmond.
Sources
- Kentucky Court of Justice — Madison County Information — https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/County-Information/Pages/Madison.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.