Washington County Circuit Court Overview
Washington County sits within Kentucky's unified Court of Justice. Circuit Court is the state's trial court of general jurisdiction. In Washington County, Circuit Court hears civil matters over $5,000, felonies, capital offenses, divorce, adoption, termination of parental rights, real property title disputes, contested probate, injunctions, writs, and appeals from District Court and administrative agencies.
The local court location is the Washington County Judicial Center at 100 E. Main St., Suite 100, Springfield, KY 40069. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk is in the same building and is the record office for Circuit Court and District Court case files. Court hours listed by KCOJ are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The clerk phone is 859-336-3761, jury phone is 859-336-0734, and fax is 859-336-9824.
The court schedule published by KCOJ places Circuit Court on the third Wednesday after the first Monday. Division 1 criminal matters are listed at 9 a.m. and civil at 1 p.m. Division 2 civil matters are listed at 9 a.m. and criminal at 1 p.m. Current dates should still be checked through the clerk or docket portal because schedules can change.
Washington County Circuit and District Divisions
The Washington County KCOJ page identifies local Circuit and District divisions, judges, the clerk, and appellate district contacts. Circuit Court is the primary trial court under the resolved state map, but District Court is included because it handles many Washington County court records that residents search for first.
| Court or office | Judicial district / division | Judge or clerk | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Circuit Court | 11th Judicial Circuit, Division 1 | Chief Circuit Judge Samuel Todd Spalding | 100 E. Main St., Suite 100, Springfield KY 40069 | 859-336-3761 |
| Washington Circuit Court | 11th Judicial Circuit, Division 2 | Judge Kaelin G. Reed | 100 E. Main St., Suite 100, Springfield KY 40069 | 859-336-3761 |
| Washington District Court | 11th Judicial District, Division 1 | Judge Amy S. Anderson | 100 E. Main St., Suite 100, Springfield KY 40069 | 859-336-3761 |
| Washington District Court | 11th Judicial District, Division 2 | Judge Mike Hall Jr. | 100 E. Main St., Suite 100, Springfield KY 40069 | 859-336-3761 |
| Office of Circuit Court Clerk | Washington County | JoAnne Miller / JoAnne Mudd Miller | 100 E. Main St., Suite 100, Springfield KY 40069 | 859-336-3761; jury 859-336-0734 |
Washington County Circuit Court Comparison
Kentucky does not use a Washington County justice-of-the-peace court system for court records in the way some states do. The local split is mainly Circuit Court, District Court, and the separate County Clerk records office. Each one has a distinct record set.
| Point | Circuit Court | District Court | County Clerk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil limit | Generally civil matters over $5,000 | Civil matters up to $5,000 and small claims up to $2,500 | No court civil jurisdiction |
| Criminal role | Felonies and capital offenses after indictment or other proper filing | Misdemeanors, violations, arraignments, and felony preliminary hearings | No criminal case files |
| Family / divorce | Divorce, adoption, termination of parental rights, and related Circuit Court family matters | Domestic violence and abuse matters, juvenile categories, and mental commitments | Marriage licenses and certified marriage copies |
| Probate | Contested probate and real property title disputes | Probate of wills | Recorded wills and related legal instruments |
| Records access | Circuit Court Clerk | Circuit Court Clerk | County Clerk office or eCCLIX |
Washington County Case Movement
Circuit Court records often begin after a case is filed directly in Circuit Court or after a District Court matter moves upward. District Court appeals go to Circuit Court. Most appeals from Circuit Court go to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, while the Kentucky Supreme Court is the court of last resort and takes direct appeals in the most serious criminal sentences.
Criminal flow: Citation or arrest › District Court arraignment or preliminary hearing › indictment or information when required › Circuit Court arraignment › pretrial motions › plea or trial › sentencing › appeal.
Civil flow: Complaint or petition filed › service › answer or default › motions and discovery › hearing, mediation, or trial › judgment › appeal.
Probate flow: District Court probate of will › fiduciary appointment and estate filings › objections or title issues if any › Circuit Court contested probate or title dispute › appeal if allowed.
Search Washington County Circuit Court Cases
Court dates can be checked through the KCOJ docket portal by selecting Washington County, choosing Circuit or District, entering a date, and using courtroom or subdivision filters if they appear. The docket is useful for scheduled activity, but KCOJ warns that it is not the official docket and is subject to change. Full case-file requests go to the Circuit Court Clerk.
ePay can help with eligible court fines and payable citations, but it is not a full case-file portal. For court copies, call or visit the clerk with the case number, party names, filing year, court division, and the document needed. Older records may require file locator numbers if stored at a State Records Center.
The Washington County Clerk's e-recording vendors are part of the separate recorded-instrument system. Simplifile is listed by the County Clerk for e-recording, which is different from Circuit Court case filing.
That contrast helps readers avoid using a deed-recording route when they need a Circuit Court case record.
Washington County Circuit Court Record Types
A Circuit Court file may include complaints, petitions, summonses, answers, motions, orders, judgments, hearing notices, evidence references, transcripts, indictments, bond orders, pleas, verdicts, sentencing orders, probation terms, restitution, and appeal notices. Divorce files may include petitions, parenting plans, support orders, financial disclosures, settlement agreements, decrees, and post-decree motions.
Access limits still apply. Juvenile records are generally confidential under KRS 610.340. Expunged and sealed records may be unavailable to the public. Adoption, domestic violence, mental-health, minor-child, financial-account, and personal-identifying information may be restricted or redacted. If a record involves a protected category, the clerk may release only part of the file or require proof of authority.
Washington County Records Outside Circuit Court
Not all legal records with court-like names belong in Circuit Court. The County Clerk's records page lists deeds, mortgages, mechanics liens, powers of attorney, wills, corporations, tax liens, military discharges, trademarks, assignments, releases, marriages, and delinquent property taxes. These may be searched through eCCLIX or viewed in the County Clerk's office for free.
Another County Clerk e-recording vendor, CSC, appears in the Washington County vendor list.
Recorded instruments may matter in title disputes, probate, or civil litigation, but the litigation file itself remains a court record.
The County Clerk also lists ePN among electronic recording vendors.
When a Circuit Court case concerns land title, both the recorded instrument trail and the Circuit Court case file may be relevant.
Washington County Circuit Court Appeals
District Court appeals go to local Circuit Court. That includes appeals from District Court judgments where Kentucky law permits appeal. Most appeals from Circuit Court go to the Kentucky Court of Appeals. The Kentucky Supreme Court is the final interpreter of Kentucky law and receives direct appeals in death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment of 20 years or more.
The Washington County KCOJ page identifies the county within the 3rd Appellate District and lists Court of Appeals contact routing through the state court system. An appeal record may require both the local trial court file and the appellate case file, so requesters should identify which court created the order or opinion they need.