Facing a criminal charge in Kentucky

Bond and pretrial release in Kentucky

Section 16 of the Kentucky Constitution provides that all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties except for capital offenses when proof is evident or presumption great. KRS Chapter 431 governs bail. KRS Sec. 431.520 directs the court to impose the least onerous condition that will reasonably assure appearance, with options including release on own recognizance, unsecured bail bond, supervised release through pretrial services, cash bond (full or 10 percent deposit), and surety bond. Kentucky does not permit commercial bail bondsmen; bondsmen were abolished by statute and pretrial services administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts handle risk assessment. KRS Sec. 431.525 governs amount and review of bail.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Kentucky

Our directory is still building in Kentucky. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Kentucky

Kentucky expungement is governed by KRS 431.073 (felony expungement) and KRS 431.078 (misdemeanor and violation expungement). Both establish petition-based pathways through the court that, when granted, vacate and seal the underlying record. The statute provides a five-year waiting period after completion of sentence for eligible Class D felonies and a five-year period for misdemeanors and violations; sex offenses, offenses against children, and offenses requiring sex-offender registration are excluded. The petition is filed in the circuit court of conviction for felonies and the district court for misdemeanors.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Kentucky

Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.