District of Kentucky

The United States Court for the District of Kentucky was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 to be one of the two federal judicial districts of Virginia.¹ The court, not being assigned to a judicial circuit except in appeals and writs of error, which were the jurisdiction of the U. S. Supreme Court.² The district court in Kentucky was used as a standard of reference in later statutes to create courts in other states to express the concept of a single federal court with full jurisdiction. Harry Innes was appointed the first district judge in Kentucky by President George Washington on September 26, 1789.³

This broad federal jurisdiction was exercised until 1807 when the Seventh Circuit was created and a Circuit Court was established in Kentucky.⁴ At that time John H. Hannah was appointed clerk of the District Court of Kentucky.⁵ In 1837, Kentucky was assigned to the Eighth Circuit.⁶ In 1862, the district court was assigned to the Sixth Circuit and has remained in that circuit since that date although the other states constituting that grouping have varied.⁷

Congress originally directed that the terms of court be held four times a year at "Harrodsburgh." On June 9, 1794, the court was moved from Harrodsburg to Frankfort.⁸ In 1803, the number of terms was reduced to three sessions per year,⁹ and three years later, it was reduced to two.¹⁰ Up until 1860, all district and circuit courts were held in Frankfort, but in that year, sessions of both courts were authorized in three additional cities: Louisville, Covington and Paducah.¹¹

In 1901, Kentucky was divided into two districts, the Eastern and Western with one judge assigned to each district.¹²