Martin County Circuit Court
Kentucky's court hierarchy runs from the Supreme Court to the Court of Appeals, then Circuit Court, Family Court as a Circuit Court division where assigned, and District Court. Martin County is served through the 24th Judicial Circuit and the 24th Judicial District. The Kentucky Circuit Court is the court of general jurisdiction. That means it handles the broader trial-court matters that do not fit only in limited District Court jurisdiction.
For Martin County, Circuit Court is tied to the same courthouse and Circuit Court Clerk used for District and Family Court records. The local state judiciary page lists the Martin County Courthouse at 14 Court St., P.O. Box 430, Inez, KY 41224, with the Office of Circuit Court Clerk at 606-298-3508 and fax 606-298-4202. Public hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The same local clerk office is the starting point for court records, court dates, official copies, and record-facility locator details.
Martin County Courthouse
14 Court St.
P.O. Box 430
Inez, KY 41224
606-298-3508
Fax: 606-298-4202
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Martin County Court Jurisdiction
Circuit Court handles civil matters over $5,000, capital offenses and felonies, divorces, adoptions, termination of parental rights, real-property title disputes, contested probate, injunctions, writs, and appeals from District Court and administrative agencies. That makes it the main trial court for serious civil and criminal matters in Martin County. It also explains why a case that starts in another division can later involve Circuit Court when the subject matter changes or an appeal is filed.
District Court remains important because it is the lower trial court for many everyday matters. The Kentucky District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, violations, city and county ordinances, juvenile matters, probate of wills, small claims up to $2,500, civil cases up to $5,000, mental commitments, domestic violence and abuse matters, arraignments, and felony probable-cause hearings. Family Court is a division of Circuit Court where assigned and handles family and children matters.
| Case Type | Martin County Court Path | Records Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Felony or capital offense | District Court preliminary activity, then Circuit Court when within felony jurisdiction | Circuit Court Clerk |
| Civil claim over $5,000 | Circuit Court | Circuit Court Clerk |
| Divorce and family matters | Family Court as Circuit Court division | Circuit Court Clerk |
| Misdemeanor or traffic matter | District Court | Circuit Court Clerk |
| Probate of wills | District Court, with contested probate in Circuit Court jurisdiction | Circuit Court Clerk, with County Clerk index research for older wills |
Martin County Court Judges
The researched judicial roster places Martin County in both local trial assignments and state appellate districts. The local table is not a list of separate courthouse buildings. It shows the judge or clerk assignment, court level, and contact path tied to the Martin County Courthouse or state appellate structure. For local records, the key contact remains the Circuit Court Clerk because that office maintains the trial-court records for Circuit, Family, District, and Business Court case files.
| Court or District | Judge or Clerk | Role | Address or Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court, 7th Supreme Court District | Robert B. Conley | Deputy Chief Justice | State-level appellate assignment |
| Court of Appeals, 7th Appellate District, Division 2 | Larry E. Thompson | Chief Judge | State appellate assignment |
| Court of Appeals, 7th Appellate District, Division 1 | Sara Walter Combs | Judge | State appellate assignment |
| 24th Judicial Circuit, Division 2 | John Kevin Holbrook | Circuit Court Judge | 14 Court St., Inez; clerk 606-298-3508 |
| 24th Judicial Circuit, Family Court, Division 1 | Adam Scott O'Bryan | Chief Circuit Judge / Family Court | Same courthouse / circuit clerk |
| 24th Judicial District, Division 1 | John T. Chafin | District Court Judge | Same courthouse / circuit clerk |
| 24th Judicial District, Division 2 | D. Brett Butcher | District Court Judge | Same courthouse / circuit clerk |
| Martin County Circuit Court Clerk | Denise M. Gauze | Clerk for Circuit, Family, District, and Business Court records | 14 Court St., Inez; 606-298-3508 |
Martin County Court Comparison
Martin County does not use a separate county court for these state trial-court records. The practical comparison is Circuit Court, District Court, and Family Court as a Circuit Court division. All three connect back to the state judiciary and the Circuit Court Clerk for records, but each handles different case types. The split matters most for searches because a docket or payment search may ask for division, and a copy request may depend on whether the file is civil, criminal, family, traffic, probate, or small claims.
| Feature | Circuit Court | District Court | Family Court Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil jurisdiction | Civil matters over $5,000 and real-property title disputes | Civil cases up to $5,000 and small claims up to $2,500 | Family-related civil matters assigned to Family Court |
| Criminal jurisdiction | Felonies and capital offenses | Misdemeanors, traffic, violations, arraignments, and felony probable-cause hearings | Domestic violence and juvenile matters within family jurisdiction |
| Family cases | Includes divorce and assigned family matters through Family Court | Limited domestic violence and related matters under District Court jurisdiction | Dissolution, custody, support, adoption, paternity, abuse/neglect, and status offenses |
| Probate and traffic | Contested probate may move to Circuit Court; felony traffic-related cases may involve Circuit Court | Probate of wills and routine traffic cases | Not the ordinary traffic or probate venue |
| Records office | Circuit Court Clerk | Circuit Court Clerk | Circuit Court Clerk |
Martin County Case Flow
Case movement in Martin County depends on subject matter and appeal route. A felony may begin with arrest or charge information and early District Court activity, then proceed to Circuit Court after indictment or another event that places it within Circuit Court jurisdiction. Misdemeanors and routine traffic matters normally remain in District Court. Divorce and many family matters route to Family Court as a Circuit Court division. Probate of wills starts in District Court, while contested probate can place Circuit Court jurisdiction in issue.
Felony flow: Arrest or charge › District Court first activity › indictment or transfer into felony jurisdiction › Circuit Court case › disposition or trial › sentencing › appeal.
Civil and family flow: Complaint or petition › answer or response › motions and hearings › order, judgment, decree, or settlement › appeal if allowed.
Probate and traffic flow: District Court filing or citation › hearing or payment path › order, disposition, or probate action › Circuit Court only if contested, appealed, or raised to a higher jurisdiction path.
Note: Appeals from District Court or administrative agencies can be heard by Circuit Court, while most Circuit Court appeals go to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
Martin County Lower Courts
The State Court Structure Map resolves the lower courts for Martin County as District Court and Family Court as a Circuit Court division. District Court is not a separate county-created court. It is part of Kentucky's unified court system and operates locally through the 24th Judicial District. Family Court is also part of the state court structure and is treated as a Circuit Court division where assigned. That is why the same clerk office can be the records contact for several case types that sound different to a lay reader.
The Kentucky Family Court jurisdiction list includes dissolution of marriage, spousal support, equitable distribution, child custody, child support, visitation, paternity, adoption, domestic violence, dependency/neglect/abuse, termination of parental rights, and status offenses. Some of those records can have strong access limits, especially juvenile, adoption, domestic violence, and mental health records. A public case search may show less than the full court file, and some material may require party status or court permission.
Martin County Court Sources
The Eastern District bankruptcy county division code page is a separate federal bankruptcy source, but it helps confirm that Martin County is treated as a specific county for court routing outside the state trial-court system.
The image is included as a manifest source for the renamed Circuit Court page and should not be confused with the state Circuit Court records office.
The Bankruptcy Court Ashland hearing location page is another federal source that shows Martin County records research can cross court systems when bankruptcy is involved.
That federal location source reinforces the need to separate state Circuit Court records from federal bankruptcy records.
The manifest also assigned the Kentucky State Police sex offender quick search source to the original district court page capture set.
The registry source is not a Circuit Court docket, so court case status, dispositions, and official copies still route through the Circuit Court Clerk.
Martin County Appeals Path
Appeals move by level. District Court and administrative agency appeals can be heard by Circuit Court. Most Circuit Court appeals go first to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which reviews the trial-court record rather than retrying the case. The Supreme Court of Kentucky is the highest court and hears direct appeals in death-penalty cases, life-imprisonment cases, and cases involving imprisonment for 20 years or more, along with other matters allowed by law or court procedure.
For record access, the court that heard the case controls the first request. Martin County trial-court files start with the Circuit Court Clerk. Court of Appeals records use the Court of Appeals clerk at 502-573-7920 or C-Track Public Access. Supreme Court records use the Supreme Court clerk at 502-564-5444 or C-Track Public Access. A person seeking the full file should not treat an appellate docket entry as a substitute for the trial-court record.
Users searching all Martin County court records can start with Martin County court records for the broader access channels, then return to the Circuit Court Clerk when an official copy or older file is needed.