Fayette County
Established in 1824, Fayette County was named in honor of Marquis de la Fayette, a hero of the American Revolution. The county has a land area of 704.1 square miles and a population of over 41,000. It is historically known for its cotton and corn plantations.
The Fayette County trial court system consists of a Circuit Court, a Chancery Court, a General Sessions Court, a Juvenile Court, and numerous Municipal Courts. The Fayette County Circuit Court is the highest trial court in the county with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. It also handles appeals of cases from the General Sessions, Juvenile, and Municipal Courts. The jurisdiction of the General Sessions Court is limited to certain misdemeanors, preliminary hearings in felony cases, and civil claims not exceeding $25,000 in value.
The Chancery Court handles claims for equitable reliefs. It shares jurisdiction with the Circuit Court in several matters, including divorce, adoption, and workers' compensation cases. Meanwhile, the Juvenile Court specializes in cases relating to delinquent youth, child neglect and abuse, and parental responsibilities. The Municipal Courts operate within cities in Fayette County. These courts have authority over municipal ordinance violations, including traffic, animal, and public safety violations.
Fayette County public court records are official information generated during legal proceedings in the county. These records include details about the adjudication of cases, such as parties' names, hearing dates, judgments, orders, legal arguments, and pleadings. Each court in the county has clerks responsible for filing and maintaining documents and other materials containing these details. These clerks are official custodians of various case files in the county, including the following:
- Civil records
- Felony records
- Misdemeanor records
- Small claims records
- Probate records
- Juvenile records
- Family law records
Fayette County court records are available through the county's Online Court Records System, which enables users to search court records by name, year, or case number. Requesters may also obtain physical copies of court records by contacting the clerk of the court where the case was heard. Note that the clerk may require payment of applicable fees before providing copies of court records.
