Simpson County Detention Center Criminal Court Process
Criminal Court Process for Simpson County Kentucky
Simpson County Criminal Court Process
From a Franklin traffic misdemeanor to a felony jury trial, Simpson cases stay in one building, the Simpson County Justice Center, 101 N. Court St., Franklin, KY 42134: district court handles the lower charges and circuit court the felonies (circuit clerk 270-586-4241). Allen and Simpson share the 49th Judicial Circuit, and detained defendants are held a few blocks away at the Simpson County Detention Center.
1. What does each Franklin court decide?
Simpson District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic violations, juvenile cases and felony arraignments. Indicted felonies proceed to Simpson Circuit Court, where twelve jurors hear trials and nine must agree on a verdict. The 49th Circuit's judges alternate between Franklin and Scottsville.
↑ Back to the question list2. How do I verify a hearing at the Franklin Justice Center?
Search KYeCourts guest portal or ring the clerk at 270-586-4241 on a weekday. Confirm again a day ahead. If something unavoidable comes up, inform your attorney and the court before the date, since unexplained absences commonly produce warrants.
↑ Back to the question list3. How do Franklin families check for a warrant?
The county seat sits on the Tennessee line, and its sheriff's deputies serve local court warrants; call 270-586-7425 with the name in question. Every Simpson case is also posted in Kentucky's statewide record on the free KYeCourts guest login; enter the name, choose the county, and try Starts With if the person may be listed under a nickname.
Turning yourself in at the Simpson County Detention Center clears a warrant, and an attorney called beforehand has time to talk to the judge about release. The circuit clerk keeps an office in the justice center at 101 N. Court St., Franklin, KY 42134, and answers at 270-586-4241.
↑ Back to the question list4. What does the Simpson clerk take for fines?
Cash, cashier's checks, money orders and cards (fee added) at the counter, or ePay online. When a full payment isn't possible at sentencing, a defendant may ask the judge for installments. Bond procedures appear on our bail page.
↑ Back to the question list5. What follows an arrest in Simpson County?
- Franklin officers, deputies or Post 3 troopers take the person into custody.
- The person is booked on East Kentucky Street and then interviewed by Pretrial Services (bail guide).
- A Simpson District judge arraigns the defendant.
- Felony preliminary hearings take place within 10 days for detainees and 20 for others.
- Grand jury indictment moves the case to Circuit Court.
6. Who prosecutes in Franklin?
The Simpson County Attorney (303 N. College St., Franklin, KY 42134 (270-586-3830)) takes juvenile and misdemeanor cases and handles felonies prior to indictment. The 49th Circuit Commonwealth's Attorney (107 Robey St., Suite 1, Franklin, KY 42134 (270-586-5326)) then prosecutes indicted felonies for Allen and Simpson.
↑ Back to the question list7. What penalties apply in Kentucky?
The justice center clerk in Franklin (270-586-4241) can confirm how a count is classed, and the class fixes the most a Franklin judge may impose.
Franklin judges can impose as much as 12 months and $500 on a Class A misdemeanor and 90 days and $250 on a Class B (KRS 532.090). A violation is punished by a fine only, $250 at most, waivable for indigence (KRS 534.040). Felony terms run 1 to 5 years for Class D, 5 to 10 for C, 10 to 20 for B, and 20 to 50 years or life for A (KRS 532.060).
↑ Back to the question list8. How do I obtain Simpson court documents?
Find the case number on KYeCourts guest portal, then ask the Franklin clerk for copies following the records-request instructions. Juvenile and sealed matters stay private. The sheriff (270-586-7425) or a lawyer can check for warrants. If one exists, counsel may schedule a walk-in date so nobody is picked up at work, and the Franklin clerk can say what copy fees apply to older paper files.
↑ Back to the question list9. How do Franklin defendants qualify for appointed counsel?
Tell the judge during arraignment that you can't afford a lawyer and sign the sworn financial form. If approved, the Bowling Green South Trial Office of the Department of Public Advocacy (1001 Center St., Suite 300, Bowling Green, KY 42101; 833-444-0135) is appointed; its staff can link your case number to an attorney.
↑ Back to the question list10. Where are Simpson defendants kept during a case?
They're held at the Simpson County Detention Center, 217 E. Kentucky St., Franklin, KY 42134 (270-586-5351). Read our guides on phones, mail, video visits, email, money and commissary for that jail.
↑ Back to the question list11. Where are federal charges from Franklin heard?
Franklin cases brought by federal prosecutors move north to the U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky, 241 East Main Avenue, Bowling Green, KY 42101, 270-393-2500. A Bowling Green magistrate holds the detention hearing that decides pretrial release; anyone ordered held goes into Marshals custody and is housed wherever they arrange. The federal inmate locator lists federal sentences once a judgment is entered.
↑ Back to the question list12. What should non-citizens facing Simpson charges know?
Some convictions endanger status or lead to removal, even for green-card holders, so get immigration counsel before pleading or accepting diversion. A detainer requests up to 48 more hours in custody but doesn't end the state case; see the ICE detainee locator.
↑ Back to the question list13. How can I find a Simpson defendant who went to state prison?
The Corrections KOOL lookup shows which Corrections facility or contract county jail took the person, and our Kentucky prison directory has addresses and phone numbers. Search by state number when the name is common.
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