Family Court Division

• Dissolution of marriage
• Spousal support and equitable distribution
• Child custody, support and visitation
• Paternity, adoption
• Domestic violence
• Dependency, neglect and abuse
• Termination of parental rights
• Runaways, truancy, beyond control

Dissolution of Marriage Filed by Attorney - $153
Dissolution of Marriage Filed Without an attorney - 148
Paternity Filed by Attorney - $45.50
Paternity Filed Without an Attorney - $43
Appeals or Cross Appeals - $85
File Copies - 25 cents
Certified Copies - $5

Paying in Person
Cash, certified checks, cashier’s checks, money orders and checks (in most circumstances) are accepted. American Express, Discover and MasterCard credit cards and most debit cards are also accepted. Visa credit or debit cards are not accepted at the Family Court counter due to Visa’s convenience fee policy.

Paying by Mail
Certified checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, personal checks and business checks (in most circumstances) are accepted. Cash is accepted but not recommended. 

Motion hour is held on Monday for Family Court proceedings. If Monday is a holiday, motion hour will usually be held on Tuesday. Typically, only attorneys attend motion hour.

When you file a motion, you must notify all of the involved parties by first-class mail that the case is being put on the docket. The other party must receive notice three business days prior to the court date.

Sometimes Family Court judges change their schedules and do not hear a particular type of case during a given week. The clerk assisting you will know when the various dockets are scheduled and can assist you in obtaining the correct date for your motion hour.

For any other types of cases such as paternity; dependency, neglect and abuse; domestic violence or status offenses, motions are scheduled for the day a particular division hears that type of case. The clerk can tell you what day of the week a division hears a certain type of case.

Filing Deadline Schedule

Any appeal of a decision in Family Court is handled by the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Appeals may be filed at the front counter of the Family Court Division on the first floor of the Jefferson County Judicial Center, 700 W. Jefferson St. See the Family Court Filing Fees for the cost of appeals.

Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice
First Floor
600 W. Jefferson St.
Louisville, Ky. 40202
Phone 502-595-4697

Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week

The Domestic Violence Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist victims of domestic violence. The center is staffed by the Office of the Circuit Court Clerk, the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

The center takes both civil emergency protective orders and criminal complaints. The staff at the center can identify the type of protection for which you are eligible and assist with asking the court for that protection.

Victim’s advocates are on staff to provide information about community resources and  offer advice based on an assessment of the level of danger present in each situation.

Domestic violence can occur to males and females, children and adults. Domestic violence knows no economic or educational boundaries and is defined in many ways, not just by extreme violence. Threatening and controlling behavior, violence toward pets and destruction of property can all be considered forms of domestic violence.

If you need assistance, contact the Domestic Violence Intake Center to learn about the resources available to you.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is an EPO?
A: An emergency protective order is an ex parte order issued by the reviewing circuit judge, district judge or trial commissioner.

Q: Where can petitioner file an EPO?
A: An EPO request may be filed 24 hours day, seven days a week at the Domestic Violence Intake Center on the first floor of the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice, 600 W. Jefferson St. Criminal warrants are also taken at this location.

Q: What happens if the petitioner wants to change the EPO/DVO?
A: Only a judge can change the court order(s). Should the petitioner wish to amend the order(s), a motion will need to be filed in the office of the Family Court Division.

Q: Is there a fee to file an EPO?
A: There is no fee to file a complaint.

Q: Who is eligible to file an EPO?
A: Per Kentucky law (KRS 403.715 to 403.785):

(1) “Domestic violence and abuse” means physical injury, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical injury, serious injury, sexual abuse, or assault between family members or members of an unmarried couple;

(2) “Family member” means a spouse including a former spouse, a grandparent, a parent of a child, a stepchild, or any other person living in the same household as a child if child is alleged victim; and

(3) “Member of an unmarried couple” means each member of an unmarried couple which allegedly has a child in common, any children of that couple, or member of an unmarried couple who are living together or have formerly lived together.

Forms
FC-3 Case Data Information Sheet
DNA-2.1 Emergency Custody Order Affidavit
AOC-275.1 Domestic Violence Petition/Motion
AOC-275.6 Motion to Amend Domestic Violence Order

Juvenile Delinquency/Non-Support Office
Hall of Justice
Room 2033, Second Floor
600 W. Jefferson St.
Louisville, Ky. 40202
Phone 502-595-4433

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Juvenile Court Cases
All Juvenile Court cases are confidential. Information about these cases can only be given in person to the child, parent, victim or individuals who are authorized by a court order. A photo ID is required. Non-support cases are public record and can be viewed in our office.

Juvenile delinquency cases are heard in Division 88 in Courtroom 306 at 9 a.m. or in Division 99 in Courtroom 306 at 1 p.m. Motions on juvenile and on non-support cases may be filed at the front counter of the Juvenile/Non-Support Office.

Juvenile Restitution Payments
Restitution payments per court order will be charged an additional 5 percent fee. Public defender fees for juvenile delinquency and criminal non-support cases are also paid in this office. Payments should be made payable to David L. Nicholson, Circuit Court Clerk.

The Office of Circuit Court Clerk does not accept child support payments. Child support payments can be made only through the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office.

Acceptable Forms of Payment for Juvenile Non-Support

Paying in Person
Cash, certified checks, cashier’s checks, money orders and checks (in most circumstances) are accepted. Personal checks are accepted for everything except juvenile restitution payments. For juvenile restitution payments, American Express, Discover and MasterCard credit cards and Visa and MasterCard debit cards are accepted.

Paying by Mail
Certified checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, personal checks and business checks (in most circumstances) are accepted. Cash is accepted but not recommended. For restitution payments, money orders, certified checks and cashier’s checks are accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If I can’t afford an attorney, how can I get a public defender?
A: If you meet the financial qualifications, the judge may appoint an assistant public defender to represent you. All appointments are done by the judge during court proceedings. You may file a motion to request the appointment of an assistant public defender and the judge will make that ruling at the next court date.

Divorce Cases
In divorce actions, the party filing a petition for divorce is referred to as the “petitioner” and the other party is known as the “respondent.” Kentucky is a “no fault” divorce state, which means the only grounds for divorce that need to be stated in the petition are “irreconcilable differences.”

Kentucky residents may file a petition for divorce in any county in Kentucky. If the respondent to a divorce action challenges the venue, the divorce may be transferred to a county where one or both of the parties reside.

A self-help packet of forms necessary to file for a divorce is available in the Family Court Division and at the driver’s licenses branches for $10. Packets are available for marriages with or without children.

The filing fee for divorce actions is $148 for parties who are not represented by attorneys and $153 for divorces filed by attorneys on behalf of the parties. If you are representing yourself in your divorce action or if are represented by Legal Aid or a pro bono attorney and believe that you qualify as indigent, you may file a motion to proceed “in forma pauperis,” which allows the filing fee to be waived. Each court makes its own determination of whether a party is indigent. The court generally considers factors such as income, expenses, number of people you support and whether you own an automobile or any property.

Adoption and Termination
Adoptions and termination cases are confidential. Files may not be viewed by the public and specific cases may not be discussed by phone.

Typically, petitions for termination of parental rights are filed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or by the attorney who is filing the adoption. However, pro se litigants may also file petitions for termination of parental rights and for adoption. Voluntary termination of parental rights is usually done during the adoption process.

The filing fee for adoptions/terminations is $153 for cases filed by an attorney and $148 for self-represented cases. Those wishing to proceed as self-represented litigants are advised to consult the Jefferson County Law Library and KRS 199.480-490 and KRS 199.500-590. The fee for an amended Kentucky birth certificate following an adoption is $10.

The Adoption Information Form (VS102), used for Kentucky births only, and Applications for Registration of Foreign Births (VS56) are available in the Family Division on the First Floor of the Jefferson County Judicial Center.

Adult adoptees (over 21 years old) who wish to search for their biological parent(s) need to submit a Petition to Inspect Adoption Records form (AOC-290), along with a copy of a valid government-issued photo identification card and birth certificate.

Paternity
Complaints to establish the paternity of a child may be made by the mother of the child, the putative father of the child or any agency substantially contributing to the support of the child. Petitions to establish paternity are brought by either the Office of the Jefferson County Attorney (www.louisvilleky.gov/countyattorney/default.htm) or the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (http://chfs.ky.gov/) or by its designee upon request of the complainant. 

Paternity actions are confidential. A court order is required for anyone other than the parties to the action to view the file. No information about the case or the file may be given over the phone. Parties to the action must appear at the Family Division in person and with photo ID to view paternity files.

Once paternity is established, the Family Court judge may also enter orders regarding payment of child support, custody of the child and visitation in the paternity case involving the child.

Dependency, Neglect and Abuse Cases
Family Court handles dependency, neglect and abuse cases. These cases are confidential and deal with allegations of dependency, neglect or abuse of children. You must be a party to the case, the attorney of record or a social worker with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to obtain information about these cases. Information is provided only in person to authorized individuals with a photo ID.

Status Cases
Family Court also handles status cases. Status offenses are those committed by children under the age of 18 that would not be a crime if committed by an adult. Status charges include truancy, runaway, beyond parental control and possession of alcohol or tobacco. These cases are confidential and you must be a party to the case, the attorney of record or a social worker with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to obtain information about these cases. Court liaisons with Jefferson County Public Schools may also access these cases. Information is provided only in person to authorized individuals with a photo ID.

A public defender is appointed to represent the child in court. The Louisville-Jefferson County Public Defender's Corp.(http://www.louisvillemetropublicdefender.com/about.html) is at 719 W. Jefferson St., Louisville, Ky.

Forms
DNA-1 Juvenile Dependency, Neglect and Abuse Petition
DNA-11 Financial Statement, Affidavit, or Indigence, Request for Counsel and Order (DNA/TRP Cases)

CHFS. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is the state agency responsible for investigating allegations of dependency, neglect or abuse of children in Kentucky. After a substantiation of the allegations, CHFS is responsible for referring family members to appropriate services and reporting the parties’ progress to the court.

Child. Any person who has not reached his or her 18th birthday, unless defined otherwise.

Habitual runaway. Any child who has been found by the court to have been absent from his place of lawful residence without the permission of his custodian for at least three days during a one-year period.

Habitual truant. Any child who has been found by the court to have been reported as a truant as defined in KRS 159.150(1) two or more times during a one-year period.

Petition. A verified statement, setting forth allegations in relation to the child, which begins formal court involvement in the child’s case.