Search Perry County Court Records
Perry County court records can be checked through several official paths. The KYeCourts Public Court Records guest access page offers free public case information for Kentucky courts after the guest checkbox step. Hearing dates are searched through the Kentucky Court of Justice docket search, where Perry is selected as the county and Circuit or District is selected as the division. Fine, cost, and citation payment lookups use Kentucky ePay. For official court case copies, the Kentucky Court of Justice says requests start with the clerk of the court that heard the case.
The local fallback is important in Perry County. Circuit, District, and Family case information is available through the Perry County Circuit Court Clerk at the Hall of Justice. The clerk's office has one public terminal for checking cases and charges copy fees by page. If a closed file has moved to a state records facility, the local clerk must identify the location and provide the case and file locator numbers before the State Records Center can respond.
- Start with KYeCourts guest access for public statewide case information when the party or case number is known.
- Use the KCOJ docket search for a hearing date by choosing Perry County, the court division, and the date.
- Use ePay when the search goal is a fine, fee, payment plan, or citation balance.
- Call or visit the Perry County Circuit Court Clerk for official copies, certified records, and archived file location questions.
- Use the Perry County Clerk only for county clerk records such as marriage licenses, land records, notary bonds, and open-records requests to that office.
The Kentucky Court of Justice Perry County page shows the Hall of Justice, judges, clerk, hours, parking, and court contact lines that support these searches.
That county page is the best starting point for confirming the local court facility before using online records or visiting in person.
Perry County Court Search Fields
The docket search is the clearest public field set for Perry County court records because it shows the filters before results are generated. The result area is marked as not an official docket and subject to change, so the online list should be checked against the court file when a date, setting, or disposition matters.
| Field | Type | Required | Use for Perry County |
|---|---|---|---|
| County | Dropdown | Yes | Select Perry from the Kentucky county list. |
| Division | Choice | Yes | Choose Circuit or District. |
| Date | Date | Yes | Enter the docket date to search. |
| Courtroom | Dropdown | No | Defaults to ALL when no courtroom is selected. |
| Subdivision | Dropdown | No | Defaults to ALL when no subdivision is selected. |
The Perry County Circuit Court Clerk page is useful when the search turns from online lookup to local case information, copies, bonds, or public terminal access.
The Perry County Circuit Court Clerk page adds local detail, including office hours, copy costs, payment methods, and public terminal access.
Perry County Court Structure
Perry County sits in Kentucky's unified court system. The Supreme Court of Kentucky is the highest state court, followed by the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, and District Court. Perry County is in the 33rd Judicial Circuit and the 33rd Judicial District. Circuit Court is the general jurisdiction trial court for felonies, larger civil cases, land title disputes, contested probate, appeals from District Court, and Family Court matters where a Family Court division applies.
District Court is the limited jurisdiction trial court. It handles misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, felony preliminary proceedings, probate of wills, juvenile matters, small claims, lower value civil cases, mental commitments, domestic violence proceedings, and city or county ordinance cases. Judge Alison C. Wells is listed as Chief Circuit Judge for the 33rd Judicial Circuit, and Judge Cody Goehring is listed as District Judge for the 33rd Judicial District.
Case flow: District Court filing or first appearance › Circuit Court when felony, appeal, or higher jurisdiction applies › Kentucky Court of Appeals › Supreme Court of Kentucky.
| Court or office | Perry County role | Primary records |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | General jurisdiction trial court | Felonies, larger civil cases, land title disputes, contested probate, appeals, family matters. |
| District Court | Limited jurisdiction trial court | Misdemeanors, traffic, probate of wills, small claims, juvenile matters, preliminary hearings. |
| Circuit Court Clerk | Court records office | Case files, copies, jury information, public terminal, bonds, payments. |
| County Clerk | County records office | Land records, marriage licenses, notary bonds, elections, motor vehicle services. |
The Perry County elected judicial officials page lists the local judges and Commonwealth Attorney contact block.
Those official listings help separate the judge's role from the clerk's recordkeeping role when a case search turns into a copy request.
Perry County Court Locations
The main state court facility is the Perry County Hall of Justice in downtown Hazard. The Circuit Court Clerk operates there for Circuit and District case information. The separate Perry County Courthouse and county-government offices on Main Street house the County Clerk, Sheriff's Office, County Attorney, and other local offices. These addresses matter because court case records and county clerk records do not come from the same counter.
Perry County Hall of Justice
545 Main Street, P.O. Box 7433
Hazard, KY 41702
Circuit: 606-435-6000
District: 606-435-6002
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Perry County Clerk
481 Main Street, Suite 101/102
Hazard, KY 41701
606-436-4614
wayne.napier@ky.gov
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Perry County Sheriff's Office
481 Main Street, Suite 200
Hazard, KY 41701
606-439-4523
Administrative office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Perry County elected county officials page names Sheriff Joseph Engle, County Clerk Wayne Napier, Circuit Court Clerk Charlie Patterson, and Jailer Minor Allen.
That county official list is useful when a record search involves court files, marriage records, jail custody, or sheriff duties.
Perry County Court Record Types
Perry County court records cover more than one kind of file. Criminal case files may contain citations, complaints, warrants or summonses, charging papers, bond orders, arraignment entries, motions, orders, docket entries, disposition, sentence, probation terms, restitution, fines, and costs. Civil files may include complaints, answers, service returns, motions, orders, judgments, garnishments, satisfactions, and appeal notices. Family and divorce files are court records, but sensitive parts can be restricted.
- Criminal records: felony files are Circuit Court records, while misdemeanors and violations are usually District Court records.
- Civil records: District Court handles smaller civil and small claims matters, while Circuit Court handles larger disputes and land title issues.
- Traffic records: traffic offenses are generally District Court matters and may also connect to ePay citation searches.
- Family and divorce records: dissolution and related family matters are court case files, not County Clerk marriage records.
- Probate records: probate of wills is handled in District Court, with contested issues moving to Circuit Court when needed.
The Perry County Clerk is separate. The Perry County Clerk website covers eCCLIX land records, DOC ALERT, marriage licenses, elections, motor vehicles, and delinquent taxes.
The County Clerk page is central for marriage and property-adjacent searches, but it is not the source for Circuit or District case files.
What Perry County Court Records Show
Kentucky Court of Justice defines court case records as official documentation of a court proceeding or case. For Perry County, the clerk-held file may include criminal citations, pleadings, motions, orders, evidence, reports, dockets, video recordings, transcripts, judgments, dispositions, and financial records. Online systems may show only a public case summary or docket information, so a portal result is not always the full court file.
| Field or item | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Case number | The court identifier used for searches, requests, payments, and archived file questions. |
| County and division | Perry County plus Circuit or District, depending on the type of case. |
| Parties | Names of people, businesses, plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, or respondents when public. |
| Docket entries | Hearing dates, events, orders, and changes in case activity. |
| Disposition | The outcome of a charge, claim, or case. |
| Financial records | Fines, costs, restitution, payment status, or ePay eligibility when shown. |
- Disposition
- The outcome of a charge or case.
- Bond
- Money or conditions set to secure a person's appearance in court.
- Indictment
- A formal felony charging document returned by a grand jury.
- Expungement
- A legal process that removes or seals eligible records from public access.
Perry County Court Public Access
Kentucky open-records law gives residents a broad right to inspect public records, but Perry County court case access still depends on court rules, confidentiality statutes, sealing orders, expungement orders, and retention schedules. The Kentucky Court of Justice states that the Administrative Office of the Courts is not the source for case files. For Perry County Circuit, District, and Family records, start with the Circuit Court Clerk. For County Clerk records, use the County Clerk counter, eCCLIX, mail, or that office's open-records form.
Key Kentucky access rules:
KRS 61.872 gives Kentucky residents the right to inspect public records unless an exception applies.
KRS 61.878 lists exemptions that may support withholding or redacting confidential information.
KRS 610.340 treats juvenile court records as confidential unless disclosure is specifically authorized.
KRS 431.078 addresses misdemeanor, violation, and traffic expungement eligibility.
The Kentucky appellate public access system is separate from Perry County trial court records and is used for appellate case information.
Appeals from Circuit or Family Court decisions can move beyond Hazard into the statewide appellate system.
Perry County Court Records Fees
Perry County fee information depends on the office. The Circuit Court Clerk page lists case copies at 25 cents per page and accepts cash, check, and money order. Cash is required for posting bond to surety, and picture ID is required for return of bond money. The County Clerk's open-records policy and fee pages list separate copy, recording, marriage, and legal-record costs.
| Item | Amount or rule | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit or District case copies | $0.25 per page | Circuit Court Clerk |
| County Clerk non-commercial document copy | $0.50 per copy | County Clerk |
| County Clerk recordings, discs, or tapes | $5.00 per copy | County Clerk |
| Marriage license | $50 | County Clerk |
| Certified marriage copy in person | $5 | County Clerk |
| Certified marriage copy by mail | $7 | County Clerk |
Note: Kentucky civil filing fees for Circuit and District Courts increase effective July 1, 2026, under Supreme Court Orders 2026-15 and 2026-18.
Restricted Perry County Court Records
Not every Perry County court record is open to the public. Juvenile records are confidential under KRS 610.340 unless a statute allows disclosure. Adoption files, mental health proceedings, domestic violence details, protected addresses, minor names, Social Security numbers, and financial account data can be restricted or redacted. Expunged cases are removed from public access after the court and agencies complete the expungement process.
Kentucky expungement requests often require an expungement certification before filing a petition. AOC offers online, in-person, and mail certification options, and the person files the petition with the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the charge was filed. For a Perry County charge, that means the Perry County Circuit Court Clerk.
Perry County Specialty Courts
Kentucky Specialty Courts are run by the Kentucky Court of Justice Department of Specialty Courts. The statewide structure includes Drug Court, Veterans Treatment Court, and Mental Health Court. The Kentucky Specialty Courts page describes structured support, supervision, case management, treatment access, and court team oversight for eligible participants.
Kentucky Drug Court began as the state's first specialty court program and now serves all 120 counties, including Perry County. County-specific Perry Veterans Treatment Court and Mental Health Court details were not located in the official research, so eligibility should be confirmed through the local court team or Department of Specialty Courts rather than assumed.
Perry County Sheriff and Jail
The Perry County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Joseph Engle and is located at 481 Main Street, Suite 200, in Hazard. The official sheriff page describes law enforcement services, property tax collection, election duties, motor vehicle inspections, funeral and parade escorts, school resource officers, and service to Perry County civil and criminal courts. No official Perry County Kentucky sheriff app with app-only inmate lookup, warrant search, or records-request portal was confirmed.
Kentucky River Regional Jail is at 200 Justice Drive in Hazard and has a listed capacity of 150 inmates. The official jail page labels an inmate search but links to Kentucky Online Offender Lookup, which is a state corrections search and not the same as a county pretrial jail roster. For current custody, use the jail's inmate information, booking, or administration lines. For full custody guidance, use Perry County inmate records.
The Perry County official history page gives local context for Hazard and Perry County, while the jail page supplies the custody contact details used for inmate-record research.
County history and jail details both point back to Hazard as the practical center for court, custody, and government records.
Perry County Marriage Divorce Probate
Marriage licenses and certified marriage copies are handled by the Perry County Clerk, not the Circuit Court Clerk. Both applicants must apply together, show acceptable identification, and pay the marriage-license fee. There is no waiting period, and the license is valid for 30 days including the issue date. Divorce records are court case files, so Perry County divorce copies start with the Circuit Court Clerk rather than the County Clerk.
Probate of wills is a District Court function in Kentucky, while contested probate issues can move into Circuit Court. Estate researchers may also need County Clerk land or legal-record indexes when a will, disclaimer, deed, lien, or property transfer was recorded separately. The County Clerk's eCCLIX system supports land-record viewing and printing for subscribers, and DOC ALERT sends free email notice when a mortgage or deed bearing a registered name is recorded.
Perry County Court History
Perry County's official history says the county was formed from portions of Floyd and Clay counties after Kentucky entered the Union. The early settlement on the North Fork of the Kentucky River was called Perry Court House. Hazard's official history says Elijah Combs founded the village, which was named county seat when Perry County became Kentucky's 68th county in 1821.
The City of Hazard history page adds that early court records used the Hazard name even before the town was incorporated.
This history explains why older local records may reference Perry Court House, Hazard, and Perry County in ways that reflect the county seat's name change.
Perry County Court Records FAQ
Where are official Perry County court case records kept?
Official Circuit, District, and Family case files start with the Perry County Circuit Court Clerk at the Hall of Justice. Online systems can help identify a case or hearing date, but official copies and archived file questions go through the clerk of the court that heard the case.
Can the Administrative Office of the Courts send Perry County case files?
No. Kentucky Court of Justice guidance says AOC does not maintain case records and is not the source for case files. AOC systems may provide public information, criminal-record reports, or payment access, but the file itself belongs with the local clerk.
Which office handles Perry County marriage records?
The Perry County Clerk handles marriage licenses and certified marriage copies. Divorce records are different. Divorce files are court records and should be requested through the Circuit Court Clerk.
Are Perry County juvenile court records public?
Juvenile records are generally confidential under Kentucky law unless a specific statute permits access. Public search systems and criminal-record reports do not provide confidential juvenile details.
How are older Perry County court files requested?
Ask the Circuit Court Clerk first. If the record has moved to a records facility, the clerk can identify the facility and provide case and file locator numbers needed for a State Records Center request.