Highest Court
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court consists of 7
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Direct appeals on judgment of death,
life imprisonment, or imprisonment for over 20 years. (2) Motions to transfer
from Court of Appeals for causes of great and immediate importance. (3)
Discretionary review of Court of appeals decisions.
Intermediate Courts
Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals consists of
14 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appeals as a matter of right on
judgments of the Circuit Court. (2) Review of administrative agency decisions.
General Courts
Circuit Court
The Circuit Court consists of 107
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) All justifiable causes not vested
in some other court. (2) Civil actions over $4,000. (3) Original criminal.
No jury trials are overseen by this court.
Limited Courts
District Court
The District Court has jurisdiction
over (1) Exclusive jurisdiction in civil cases involving $4,000 or less,
provided the case does not involve equity or title to real estate. Uncontested
probate matters within the exclusive jurisdiction of the District Court.
(2) Exclusive jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases except where the charge
is joined with an indictment for a felony, ordinance violations and preliminary
hearings. (3) Juvenile matters. (4) Authorized to adjudicate local administrative
cases.
No jury trials are overseen by this court.
Small Claims Division
The Small Claims Division has jurisdiction
over Small claims under $1,500.
Additional Information
Enforcement of mandates.
Mandates of the Supreme Court maybe
enforced by fine or imprisonment, or both. (Kentucky Revised Statutes
21A.040)
Reversal or modification of judgments
-- Procedures for appeal.
If an error appears in a record
of a judgment, order, or decree from a lower court, it may be reversed,
modified or set aside by the Supreme Court.
Concerning an appeal of a lower
court, the methods shall be established by Supreme Court rule. The
procedures for appellate review shall be established by the Rules of Civil
Procedure, Rules of Criminal Procedure and other rules promulgated by the
Supreme Court. (Kentucky Revised Statutes 21A.050)
Publication of opinions.
All opinions of the Supreme Court
shall be published. Publication of the opinions of the Court of Appeals
and the lower courts shall be decided by the Supreme Court. The Supreme
Court shall decide the method of publication and the publisher(s) of the
opinions of the Court of Justice. The opinions of these courts shall
not be copyrighted. (Kentucky Revised Statutes 21A.070)
Records to be property of Court
of Justice -- Supreme Court control.
All and any records (as defined
in KRS 171.410[1]) made by, created for, or received by any agency of the
Court of Justice or any agency, court, or officer responsible to such court
shall become property of the Court of Justice and subjected to the control
of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shall determine which records
were generated, made, or received by or for any court. (Kentucky Revised
Statutes 26A.200)
Automatic exemptions prohibited.
There shall be no automatic exemptions
from jury service. (Kentucky Revised Statutes 29A.090)
Foreman of grand jury -- Oath
to witnesses.
The foreman shall be elected by
his/her fellow grand jurors. The foreman shall administer an oath
to each witness who testifies before the grand jury: "Do you
swear or affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth?"
(Kentucky Revised Statutes
29A.250)
Department of Public Advocacy
-- Establishment -- Functions -- Independent agency.
The Department of Public Advocacy
is established as an independent agency of Kentucky's state government,
though for administrative purposes is in conjunction to the Public Protection
and Regulation Cabinet. The Department of Public Advocacy was created
to to provide the establishment, maintenance, and operation for the
representation of indigent persons accused of crimes or mental states which
may result in their incarceration or confinement and to insure the legal,
administrative, and other appropriate remedies of persons with disabilities.
(For the purposes of this chapter, "persons with disabilities" shall refer
to those persons eligible for protection and advocacy services under Public
Laws 99-319, 102-569, 103-218, 106-170, and 106-402 as amended and any
other federal enabling statute hereafter enacted that defines the eligible
client base for protection and advocacy services.)
(Kentucky Revised Statutes
31.010)
