Criminal Prosecution
Scott County
Criminal Prosecution
One of the primary responsibilities of the Scott County Attorney’s Office is to prosecute all misdemeanors and violations that occur in Scott County. These offenses include DUIs, traffic violations, assaults, thefts, and minor drug offenses. Misdemeanor crimes are punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $500, or both. Misdemeanor crimes also carry a one-year statute of limitation under Kentucky law. The Scott County Attorney’s Office prosecutes misdemeanor and traffic cases to their conclusion.
In addition, the Scott County Attorney’s Office prosecutes felony cases through the preliminary hearing stage. A Preliminary Hearing is a procedure in which the County Attorney’s Office presents evidence to the District Court to establish whether there is probable the accused individual committed the offense. If the Judge believes there is sufficient evidence, the case will be held to the Scott County Grand Jury. From that stage forward, the case will be prosecuted by the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Criminal charges can be initiated by law enforcement via a uniform citation or by filing a criminal complaint through the County Attorney’s Office. Before a criminal complaint can be filed through our office, the alleged incident must be investigated by law enforcement. If you wish to report a criminal offense which occurred within the Georgetown city limits, you should contact the Georgetown Police Department. If you wish to report a criminal offense which occurred in the county, you should contact the Scott County Sheriff’s Office. Of course, in the event of an emergency, you should contact law enforcement immediately by dialing 911.
Once a law enforcement investigation is complete and criminal charges are filed, the Defendant will make an initial appearance in court, which is called the arraignment. In some cases, the Defendant may choose to plead guilty at arraignment. If the Defendant pleads not guilty, cases are generally set for a pretrial conference. Our office will attempt to consult with the charging officer, as well as the victims, prior to making a plea offer in a case. Most cases are ultimately resolved via a plea agreement, but if a case is not resolved, the case will generally proceed to a jury trial.
As part of our prosecutorial duties, the County Attorney’s Office also reviews search warrants, consults with local law enforcement officers, reviews criminal investigations, and makes charging decisions.
You may contact the Georgetown Police Department and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office at the following links:
