The first state located west of the Appalachian Mountains to be granted statehood in the United States was Kentucky in 1792, officially known as the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap was blazed by one of the state’s prominent frontiersman, Daniel Boone. This made it possible for many immigrants to follow on the trail of this famous explorer. Many residents of Kentucky fought for the Union during the Civil War, even when the state favored the Confederacy. Fort Campbell and Fort Knox are American military bases that are located in the state. Kentucky is also known as the prime coal producer state and an agricultural area up to the 20th century. Bluegrass music pioneered by Bill Monroe, a native of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Derby are legendary contributions of the state.

Kentucky may hold the rank of being only 37th when it comes to area size, but it has 120 counties which gives it the third rank in the nation in number of counties. The idea behind the creation of so many counties was to make it convenient for residents who lived in areas with poorly constructed roads to travel to a county seat in the morning and be back at home before nightfall.

Kentucky has four levels of the court wherein the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are included in the appellate courts. The trial courts include general jurisdiction by the Circuit Court and limited jurisdiction by the District Court.

Civil cases that involve sums of money that are less than $4,000, child neglect and abuse, preliminary hearings over felony cases, traffic offenses, ordinances of the county and city are under the jurisdiction of the District Court. Civil cases involving sums of more than $4,000, capital felonies and offenses, adoptions, divorces, and appeals coming from the District Court are under the jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts.

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