Washington County Jail Criminal Court Process

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Criminal Court Process for Washington County Kentucky

Springfield is the county seat of Washington County, and criminal cases here are heard at the Washington County Judicial Center on East Main Street. Washington District Court, in the 11th Judicial District, handles misdemeanors along with the early hearings in felony cases, and Washington Circuit Court, in the 11th Judicial Circuit with Green, Marion and Taylor counties, handles felonies after indictment. The Washington County Attorney prosecutes District Court cases; the 11th Circuit Commonwealth's Attorney, based in Campbellsville, prosecutes felonies in Circuit Court. Washington County does not operate a jail of its own, so people arrested here are held in a detention center in a neighboring county.

  • Washington Circuit Court Clerk (records for both District and Circuit Court), Washington County Judicial Center, 100 East Main Street, Suite 100, Springfield, KY 40069, (859) 336-3761
  • Washington County Attorney, 108 West Main Street, Springfield, KY 40069, (859) 336-3901
  • Commonwealth's Attorney, 11th Judicial Circuit (Green, Marion, Taylor and Washington), 214 East Main Street, Campbellsville, KY 42718, (270) 789-6802
  • Department of Public Advocacy, Columbia Trial Office (covers Washington and seven other south-central counties), 111 Jamestown Street, Columbia, KY 42728, (833) 254-2467
  • Marion County Detention Center (nearest operating jail), 201 Warehouse Road, Lebanon, KY 40033, (270) 692-5802

Which court hears your case

Charges at the violation or misdemeanor level, including DUI and traffic offenses, are heard start to finish in Washington District Court in Springfield. A felony case is opened in District Court for arraignment and the preliminary hearing, and after a grand jury indictment it is transferred to Washington Circuit Court in the same building. Kentucky has no municipal courts, so a Springfield city ordinance citation is also decided by the District judge.

Where Washington County pretrial detainees are held

There is no operating jail in Washington County. The county jailer arranges for prisoners to be housed in another county's facility, and the closest full-service jail is the Marion County Detention Center in Lebanon, a short drive south of Springfield on KY 55. After an arrest by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Springfield police or Kentucky State Police, the person is transported out of county for booking and stays there until released. Because housing arrangements can change, families should confirm the location with the arresting agency or call the Marion County Detention Center at (270) 692-5802.

Misdemeanor (for example, theft, a first DUI, assault, criminal trespass)

When a misdemeanor is charged in Washington County, the officer may issue a citation ordering the person to appear in Washington District Court, or may make an arrest. An arrested person is booked at the out-of-county jail and, within about a day, interviewed by Pretrial Services, the court-run agency that verifies background information and produces a risk score for the judge.

Release before trial

Some low-risk defendants are released on their own recognizance under an administrative release process, without a judge ever setting bail. Others receive terms from a Washington District judge: an unsecured bond, a partially secured bond requiring a deposit (usually 10 percent), a full cash bond, or a property bond. Since 1976 Kentucky has not allowed for-profit bail bonding, and any money posted goes straight to the court. Judges may also order monitored conditional release with Pretrial Services supervision, and text reminders help defendants keep track of their court dates.

Arraignment and appointed counsel

If the defendant has not been released, arraignment in Washington District Court takes place within a day or two, frequently by video from the jail. At arraignment, the defendant can ask for a lawyer. After an affidavit of indigency is completed, the judge may appoint an attorney from the Department of Public Advocacy's Columbia Trial Office ((833) 254-2467). Plea discussions take place with the Washington County Attorney, and if no agreement is reached the case can be tried to a jury of six.

Possible penalties in Springfield's District Court

  • A Class A misdemeanor, such as theft under $1,000 or fourth-degree assault in Washington County, is punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine.
  • A Class B misdemeanor has a ceiling of 90 days in jail and a $250 fine.
  • A violation, the lowest level of offense, is limited to a fine of $250.
  • A first DUI carries 48 hours to 30 days in jail (at least 4 days with aggravating factors like a 0.15 BAC or a passenger under 12), a $200 to $500 fine plus court costs, a license suspension that can be converted to an ignition interlock license, and an assessment with any recommended substance abuse treatment.

The County Attorney often agrees to diversion for first offenses, and conditional discharge and probation are also widely used. A Washington County misdemeanor generally wraps up within one to four months.

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Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug trafficking, wanton endangerment)

Felony cases in Washington County follow a set path: District Court first, then a grand jury, then Circuit Court. While the case is in District Court, the County Attorney appears for the Commonwealth. After indictment, prosecutors from the 11th Circuit Commonwealth's Attorney's office handle it.

Probable cause and indictment

A defendant held in jail is entitled to a preliminary hearing within 10 days, and one who is free within 20 days, unless the grand jury returns an indictment before the hearing. The District judge decides whether the evidence shows probable cause; if it does, the case is sent to the Washington County grand jury. In some cases the defendant waives indictment and the Commonwealth files an information instead, which usually signals that a plea agreement has been reached.

Circuit Court proceedings

An indicted defendant is arraigned in Washington Circuit Court, after which the parties exchange discovery and the court sets pretrial conferences. The Columbia Trial Office typically stays on the case for clients it represented in District Court. Most cases resolve by plea; those that are tried go before 12 jurors who must reach a unanimous verdict.

Felony sentencing ranges

  • Class D in Washington Circuit Court, which includes theft of $1,000 or more and first-degree wanton endangerment: 1 to 5 years.
  • Class C, including second-degree burglary: 5 to 10 years.
  • Class B: 10 to 20 years.
  • Class A: 20 to 50 years or life.

Certain Class D defendants can receive pretrial diversion of up to five years, with the charge dismissed once the terms are satisfied. Probation is often available, but prior felony convictions can lead to a persistent felony offender (PFO) enhancement. Felony cases in Washington County usually take between six and 18 months.

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Violent felony (for example, murder, rape, robbery)

Prosecutions for murder, rape and robbery in Washington County move through the same courts as other felonies, but release is much less likely. Judges often set substantial cash bonds, and in capital cases they may deny bail, leaving defendants in custody at the out-of-county jail through trial. The 11th Circuit Commonwealth's Attorney prosecutes, and defendants who qualify are represented by the Columbia Trial Office, with support from the Department of Public Advocacy's capital trial unit if the Commonwealth seeks death.

Sentences these charges carry

  • Murder in Washington County, as a capital offense, exposes a defendant to death, life without parole, life without parole for 25 years, life, or 20 to 50 years.
  • First-degree rape in the 11th Circuit: Class B with 10 to 20 years, rising to Class A with 20 to 50 years or life where the victim was under 12 or badly injured.
  • First-degree robbery in Springfield's Circuit Court: Class B with 10 to 20 years.

Those convicted of these offenses fall under Kentucky's violent offender statute and must serve 85 percent of the sentence before they can be considered for parole. Kentucky keeps the death penalty but has not executed anyone since 2008. The 2020 Marsy's Law amendment gives victims the right to be notified of proceedings and to be heard.

How long to expect

Because of lab work, expert witnesses and extensive pretrial litigation, violent felony cases in Washington County commonly last one to three years.

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Juveniles (under 18) arrested in Washington County

Children and teens charged with offenses in Washington County go through a separate process. Intake is done by a Court Designated Worker, who explains the complaint to the youth and family and determines whether diversion is appropriate. A diverted case stays out of court as long as the youth follows the agreement. Formal cases are heard in the juvenile session of Washington District Court, prosecuted by the Washington County Attorney, and a public defender can be appointed for the child.

Youth who cannot be released are placed by the Department of Juvenile Justice in its nearest regional juvenile detention center rather than an adult jail, and a detention hearing must be held within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. Under House Bill 3, enacted in 2024, youth charged with certain violent offenses remain in detention pending that hearing. Juveniles age 14 and up who are charged with a capital offense, a Class A or B felony, or certain felonies involving a firearm can be transferred to Washington Circuit Court to be tried as youthful offenders. Juvenile records in Kentucky are confidential.

↑ Back to the top of the Washington County court guide

Treat this overview of Washington County's criminal courts as general information only, not legal advice about any particular case. For a public defender, call the Department of Public Advocacy's Columbia Trial Office at (833) 254-2467; for case and hearing information, call the Circuit Clerk in Springfield at (859) 336-3761.

Criminal Court Process for Washington County Kentucky

Washington County Kentucky Criminal Court System - Definitions

It might be helpful to define some words that will be used on this site, when explaining the Kentucky Court System and how it works. The definitions on this site are for general information and not legal advice. It is always preferred to follow information given by your attorney or local authorities.

If you scroll down below this content, and the listing of the courts in Washington County, you will find a simple flowchart diagram and a video that will help you visualize the stages of the Criminal Court Process.

Arrest is when Kentucky, Washington County, or local police take a person into custody and start the legal process. The arrested person may or may not be immediately jailed. 

In less serious crimes, the person may only be given a citation ordering that they appear in municipal or Washington County court on a certain date. In cases involving more serious crimes, the person is usually placed in the county jail until an arraignment, or a judge decides the next step.

Booking is when the Washington County sheriff or local police gather information such as the detainee’s name, address and why the person is being arrested. Booking also includes fingerprinting, criminal history, investigation, and verification of identity. Bail for lower-level crimes may be set right after booking so the arrested can “bail or bond out” before being detained.

The prosecution, sometimes called “the government” or “the people” or “the state” is the side that presses the charges and seeks punishment for the offense. These are attorneys that work for the state of Kentucky, Washington County or a city or town.  The prosecuting attorney for Washington County or the district is called the Commonwealth’s Attorney.  A U.S. Attorney prosecutes federal cases.  

Jurisdiction is an important term in the court system that means whether a court has the obligation or duty or right to handle a case.  For example, if you run a red light in your town or city, a municipal court would likely have jurisdiction over your case, but the next town or city over would not have jurisdiction over your case.  If you attempted to flee from police when they attempted to stop you after you ran the red light, it becomes a more serious crime, and the municipal court might not have jurisdiction so you might be assigned to a higher-level court that has jurisdiction over the more serious crime.  Jurisdiction varies from state to state and sometimes county to county.

Arraignment is when a judge determines whether the charges are supported by the prosecution’s initial evidence and tells the arrested what they are charged with, and the person says whether they are guilty or not guilty. At this time, the person is called the defendant, and the opposing side is called the prosecution. If there is reason to believe that the arrested is guilty, the judge will set bail conditions or send the defendant to jail or release them ROR (release on recognizances). An arraignment is not a trial, and the defendant is entitled to a trial within a reasonable amount of time after the arraignment.

A bond proceeding is the determination of how much bail is to be paid and usually happens at the same time as an arraignment. During bond proceedings, the defendant can have an attorney present but does not have the right to an attorney. A judge or court officer in the {county extended} or municipal court sets bail. Judges in Kentucky rely on a statewide bail schedule, which sets out a recommended range of bail amounts for different offenses.

Judges can still exercise discretion in setting bail above or below the recommended range.  Sometimes the court decides that there is a good chance that the arrested will show up for trial and not flee so they are released on their own promise, or recognizance.  

Bail is money paid that is held by the Washington County or municipal court to make sure that the arrested does not flee the area before their trial. Bail amounts and other conditions are determined at the arraignment. The State of Kentucky has banned commercial bail by a bail bond company.  These are the bonds that the Clerk of Court will process in Kentucky:

For minor offenses, the defendant, friend, or family can pay the full amount of bail.

A personal recognizance bond is a bond where the defendant or someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the money if the defendant does not show up to court. If the defendant does not show, the full amount will be due and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court.  

Cash percentage bond.  If the bond order permits, the defendant pays 10% to the court, which then holds the money until the case is over. The amount is returned if the defendant is acquitted or the case is dismissed, or it can be used toward paying any court fines incurred by the defendant.

A Property Bond is a bond in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).  Usually, the property must be in Washington County, and it must be worth at least twice the amount of the bond.

It is always important to have family involvement after being arrested.  Not only can they make calls and communicate on your behalf but family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court, not only for the defendant’s own good, but because they may have signed bond paperwork and responsible to pay if the defendant does not show in court. 

(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information.  There are no bond companies in Kentucky.)

A criminal defense attorney (also called lawyer or counsel) is hired or retained to represent the arrested as early as possible after the arrest.

If there is a chance that the case might go to trial and the defendant cannot afford an attorney, the 6th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires that the court provide an attorney. This is called indigent representation and a public defender or assigned attorney would represent the defendant in all proceedings.

Indigent representation is only available misdemeanor and felony cases that could result in jail time, juvenile cases, and certain appeal cases The State of Kentucky provides 95% of the costs for Public Defenders across the state and the remaining 5% of costs are provided by the local governments.  Assigned counsel is provided for cases requiring special counsel.

For less serious cases or civil cases, there are pro bono volunteers who volunteer legal services for free or for a small fee. They often hold clinics to teach people how to represent themselves in court. This website provides contact information for pro bono services in Kentucky.

Many courts will provide forms and help for people who want to represent themselves, called pro se.  Here is a link for self-help centers in Kentucky.

A district court can refer to the first level of the legal system, or a minor court. District courts are in the community.  A district court can also refer to a U.S. Federal District Court that hears federal cases. There two U.S. federal district courts in Kentucky, with offices throughout the state. It is important that you check the address of the court you are to appear in rather than to ask someone because that person might give you directions to the wrong “district” court. Being late for court can land you in custody as well.

Pretrial proceeding is the process where both sides (prosecution and defense) gather information, interview witnesses, request records, videos etc. Pretrial proceedings also include communications with the judge assigned to the case and these appearances are either in person or by on-line conferencing. Some pretrial proceedings may not require a defendant’s appearance, allowing an attorney to appear in their place. The information that is gathered is called discovery and both sides must share the information that they have gathered.  This information does not include conversations between the arrested and their attorney.

Most cases do not go to trial because both sides reach a plea deal, where both sides try to reach a reasonable punishment based on what was learned in the pretrial proceedings.  A plea deal can only happen if the accused person admits they are guilty in exchange for a lighter punishment.  The reason they must admit guilt is because it would not be fair to punish someone who claims they are not guilty.  There are times in plea bargaining when the prosecution agrees to give a lighter sentence in exchange for information leading to the arrest of a more serious criminal related to the crime.  

Trial is where both sides share their information in front of a judge or a judge and jury. After listening to all the evidence, the judge or jury decides the verdict which is whether the person is guilty or not guilty. If a court has only a judge hearing both sides, it is called a bench trial.  If a jury is selected, it is called a jury trial.  If the defendant is found not guilty, they are released.  If they are found to be guilty, the next step is sentencing.

Sentencing is the punishment that the judge decides the person should get. This could be jail or prison time, fines, community service, probation, or a combination.

Appeal is asking for a higher court to hear the case again at an appellate court.  If the accused person thinks something went wrong at trial or has new information that was not available during the trial or that the sentence is too harsh, the defense attorney can ask for an appeal. It is not unusual for an appeal when there is a long jail sentence, but an appeal can be denied if the appellate court feels that the original trial or sentencing was fair.

Kentucky Felony vs Misdemeanor

In Kentucky, a misdemeanor is a crime that is punishable by 1 year or less with a fine of up to $500 or both. Misdemeanors are divided into three classes:

  • Class A misdemeanor is the more serious and examples include certain assaults, possession of marijuana up to 8 ounces and some criminal trespassing.
  • Class B misdemeanor examples are disorderly conduct, harassment, possession of drug paraphernalia.
  • Class C misdemeanor examples are public intoxication and trespassing.

A felony crime is a more serious crime than a misdemeanor and are divided into different classes which are general guidelines and are based on the crime, prior criminal history and other factors.  Examples of felony crimes are murder, rape, theft, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, kidnapping and identity theft.  In Kentucky, felonies are divided into four classes. 

  • Class A felonies are the most serious and can result in prison time of 20 years to life without parole and examples of Class A include murder, rape and kidnapping.  
  • Class B felonies carry a punishment of 10 to 20 years and examples include assault, manslaughter and robbery in the first degree.  
  • Class C felonies carry a punishment of 5 to 10 years in prison and examples include forgery, burglary in the second degree, possession of a controlled substance in the second degree. 
  • Class D felonies carry a punishment of 1 to 5 years in prison and examples include theft of property valued over $10,000 and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree.

The Washington County Clerk of Court is an elected official whose responsibilities for Criminal Court’s administrative issues include receiving criminal warrants, receiving bail, creating the trial schedule, receiving fees, fines and maintaining court records.

A warrant is used to get someone to appear in court or to law enforcement.  There must be good reason to believe that the person is involved in a crime. The warrant gives authority to arrest the person and search for evidence for the investigation of the crime. 

A criminal summons is issued to request that a person appear in court at a particular time and date.  It does not involve an arrest.  A traffic ticket, summary citation or lesser misdemeanor could be considered a summons if you are given a court date.

A summary citation, commonly referred to as a ticket, is a criminal summons by a law enforcement officer either in person or via mail accusing the defendant of a minor offense, stating potential fine, listing the court having jurisdiction and instructions for addressing the issue. Defendants may or may not be required to appear in court or handle the matter by entering a plea via mail.

Fines are usually paid to the District Court or clerk of court and payment methods can be found on the District Court or Washington County Clerk of Court website. If you do not pay your fine on time, you can lose your driver’s license, must pay additional fees or even have a warrant for your arrest.  It is important to read the instructions on the ticket issued by the police officer or court at the time of your arrest. For a parking ticket or summary citation, the fine amount and how to send payment should be on the ticket. 

Kentucky Criminal Court System - How it Works

In Kentucky, there are various courts that handle criminal cases. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals hear appeals from “lower” courts.  The “lower” courts are the Circuit court, Superior courts, Family courts and local city or town courts, sometimes called Municipal courts.

Municipal courts handle violations of municipal ordinances (city laws), traffic violations, parking violations and criminal misdemeanor offenses that occur within the city or town’s police jurisdiction.

District courts may overlap with Municipal courts in the types of cases that it handles in Kentucky.  District courts handle juvenile matters (juvenile is considered under the age of 18), city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, traffic offenses, arraignments for misdemeanors and some felonies and cases related to domestic violence.

Circuit courts process felony cases and hear appeals from District courts. Circuit courts serve one or more counties in Kentucky, depending on the population.

Family court is a specialized division of Circuit courts and may coordinate with District courts in cases that involve domestic violence and abuse and family support.

Court of Appeals hears cases from district, circuit and family courts.

Supreme Court is similar to our United States’ Supreme Court because it has a panel of judges that rule on matters that have to do with someone’s constitutional rights or policies and laws. The Kentucky State Supreme Court deals with the Kentucky state constitution or laws or policies. Sometimes the Kentucky Supreme Court will hear criminal cases on appeal when there is question on the state laws or procedures that lead to the appeal.  The criminal cases are usually referred from the district courts of appeal.

Specialty courts or problem-solving courts are being adopted in many states as a way to handle cases that involve non-violent and first-time offender cases in a way to where the offender can retain a job or responsibilities while following specific orders of the court as returned court appearances, periodic evaluations or testing for substances. Kentucky offers specialty courts in drug courts, mental health and veteran’s treatment courts.

The Kentucky Supreme Court is like our United States’ Supreme Court because it has a panel of judges that rule on matters that have to do with someone’s constitutional rights or policies and laws. The Kentucky State Supreme Court deals with the state constitution or laws or policies. Sometimes the Supreme Court will hear criminal cases on appeal when there is a question on the state laws or procedures that lead to the appeal.  

The criminal cases are usually referred from the district courts of appeal.

FEDERAL COURT

Federal Court deals with crimes involving violations of United States laws.  Federal crimes include federal drug trafficking, federal tax evasion and fraud that crossed state lines and include crimes that occur on federal property as post offices or federal buildings.  

Cases involving crimes that involve the FBI or DEA or Immigration agencies are federal crimes. Terrorism is a federal crime. 

There are some differences in the Federal court system as compared to the Kentucky state court system. For example, the attorneys who work for the courts are called United States Attorneys and Federal judges are called District Court Judges (not to be confused by local state district courts).  

Federal Magistrate Judges hear the case early on, but they do not decide on the cases at a trial like the Federal District Court Judges. In a federal case, a grand jury is used for indictments.

There are two U.S. Federal Judicial Districts in Kentucky.

Courts

KY CIRCUIT COURT CLERK
100 E MAIN ST # 100
SPRINGFIELD KY, 40069
859-336-1070
WASHINGTON COUNTY JUDICIAL CTR
100 E MAIN ST
SPRINGFIELD KY, 40069
859-336-3761

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Washington County

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Every detail on this page is checked by hand, not scraped. This unofficial directory helps friends and family of incarcerated individuals find critical information — inmate lists, locations, bail resources, visitation hours, rules, and text, phone, email, and mail services — for jails, detention centers, and prisons across the United States.