District Court hears misdemeanors, violations, traffic, the arraignment on every felony, and preliminary hearings, and juvenile cases are heard there too. Felony trials are held in Circuit Court once nine of twelve grand jurors vote to indict. Family Court, a Circuit division, handles domestic violence orders and family cases.

There are no separate city courts. The merged urban county government means every local case goes to these state courts.

Warrants here are served by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, whose fugitive and extradition division handles outstanding warrants; the main line is 859-252-1771. The sheriff can say for sure, and many local families pair that call with the free KYeCourts guest login, Kentucky's statewide court record, where a full name plus birth date sorts out shared names.

The standard path is a planned surrender at the Fayette County Detention Center with defense counsel who has raised bond and may ask that the warrant be set aside. The circuit clerk's criminal division, 120 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507, explains rescheduling at 859-246-2224.

District Criminal/Traffic is on the first floor of the Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse, 150 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507 (859-246-2228), open 24/7 except Dec. 24-25. The District Juvenile Division is in Suite D-442 of the same building (859-246-2234). Circuit Criminal is in Suite C-103 of the Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse, 120 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507 (859-246-2224), with the Circuit Court Appeals Division in Suite C-33 (859-246-2147) and Family Court records in Suite C-452 (859-246-2248).

The person is booked at the Fayette County Detention Center, 600 Old Frankfort Circle, Lexington, KY 40510, and Pretrial Services conducts an interview before a bail decision; our Kentucky bail guide walks through payment. Arraignment in District Court, often by video from the jail, usually comes within a day or two. A felony gets a preliminary hearing within 10 days if the person is held or 20 days if released, and the grand jury then decides whether to indict. Circuit Court handles arraignment, motions, plea talks and trial, and jail terms of a year or more at sentencing usually mean state prison.

Use the KYeCourts guest search. Choose the public search, then enter a name or case number. It shows hearing dates and charges for open cases. For copies of papers, ask the clerk; the state's court records request page explains how. Public terminals sit in the Circuit Court Appeals Division. To ask about a warrant, call the sheriff's office or the District Criminal counter with the full name and birth date.

The Fayette County Attorney tries misdemeanors and juvenile matters and handles felonies up to indictment, from 201 East Main Street, Suite 600, Lexington, KY 40507 (859-254-4941). The Commonwealth's Attorney for the 22nd Circuit prosecutes indicted felonies from 116 North Upper St., Suite 300, Lexington, KY 40507 (859-246-2060).

The circuit criminal clerk (859-246-2224) can tell you a charge's class.

A Class A misdemeanor carries up to 12 months in jail (KRS 532.090) and a $500 fine (KRS 534.040), and a Class B misdemeanor up to 90 days and $250. Violations carry no jail and a fine of $250 or less. Felony ranges (KRS 532.060) are 1 to 5 years for Class D, 5 to 10 for Class C, 10 to 20 for Class B, and 20 to 50 years or life for Class A.

The Lexington North Trial Office is at 163 W. Short St., Suite 600, Lexington, KY 40507 (859-258-2377), and the Lexington South Trial Office is in Suite 200 of the same building (859-246-2906).

The judge asks about income at the first hearing and appoints one of these offices if you qualify.

People awaiting trial stay at the detention center. Mail rules are on our jail mail page, video calls on the visitation page, and calling setup on the inmate phone page. To add money for snacks and calls, see sending money and the commissary guide.

Community Corrections (859-425-2700) can say whether a person is held for the Marshals, whose Lexington office is 859-436-6750. Federal cases from Fayette County are heard at the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, 101 Barr Street, Lexington, KY 40507, 859-233-2503. A federal arrest leads to an initial appearance before a magistrate judge and, often, a detention hearing within a few days. Prisoners in U.S. Marshals custody may be housed in area jails until trial. After a federal sentence, find the person with the BOP inmate locator.

A criminal case and an ICE case run on separate tracks. ICE may lodge Form I-247A, asking the jail under 8 CFR 287.7(d) to keep someone up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released so agents can pick them up. A defense lawyer should explain how a plea could affect immigration status. Find people moved to ICE custody with the ICE detainee locator.

Victim advocates work in each Lexington prosecutor's office. They explain each court date, help with protective orders, and tell victims about plea offers before a deal is made. Victims can also sign up with VINELink to learn when a defendant leaves jail.

Juvenile cases go to the District Court Juvenile Division, Suite D-442 in the Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse, 150 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507, 859-246-2234. Hearings are closed to the public and records stay confidential. A youth held in custody gets a detention hearing within 48 hours, not counting weekends and holidays (KRS 610.265).

After sentencing, the Department of Corrections sends the person to an intake center for assessment and later assigns a prison. Some Class D felons serve their time in county jails instead. Search the KOOL offender search and see our Kentucky state prisons guide.