- Municipal Courts: These courts handle misdemeanor offenses and violations of city ordinances within their jurisdiction. These offenses include DUIs, traffic violations (speeding tickets, shoplifting, and trespassing), domestic violence, illegal possession of drugs, and other violations of local laws. All Alabama municipal cases are presided over without a jury but only by the judge in the municipal court jurisdiction where the case was filed.
- Probate Courts: They handle cases mostly related to a deceased person, like wills, estates, real properties, and guardianship of minors. They also handle cases related to mental illnesses, name changes, and child adoption.
- Small Claims Courts: They handle civil cases involving a small sum of $3,000 and below. An individual involved in these cases is allowed to represent oneself in court.
- District Courts: They handle preliminary hearings in felony cases and misdemeanor cases. District courts also handle civil cases related to money controversies between $3,000 to $10,000. Only a judge presides over district court cases.
- Juvenile Courts: They handle civil and criminal court cases of individuals under 18. These cases are usually considered confidential.
- The Court of Civil Appeals: This court handles civil matters related to domestic cases like child adoption, annulment, divorce, child custody, and support. These courts also handle cases related to money controversies of up to $50,000 and matters related to worker's compensation, and more appeals from certain state administrative agencies. There are about five judges that handle these civil appeals cases.
- The Court of Criminal Appeals: This court handles appeals related to criminal cases like felonies and misdemeanors, including violations of municipal ordinances. The court is made up of five judges.
- The Supreme Court of Alabama: This is the highest court in Alabama and has the power to review all decisions appealed from any of Alabama's lower courts. It also handles money controversy cases of above $50,000. The chief justice and eight associate justices handle the Supreme Court cases.
Are Court Cases Public Record in Alabama?
Yes, Alabama court cases are usually considered public records except stated otherwise. Per Alabama Public Records Law, every citizen has the right to inspect and make copies of court cases in the state.
Can I Get Alabama Court Case Documents Online?
Yes, an individual can obtain Alabama Court Case documents online. However, such copies cannot be used for official purposes. The Alabama Judicial System has provided an official database that provides members of the public easier access to court case documents. The Alabama Court Access Portal allows users to file and receive service copies of court documents electronically. Access to these copies comes with a fee that varies depending on the type of court case document or the information required.
How to Conduct an Alabama Court Search by Name
To conduct an Alabama court search by name, visit the Alabama Court Access Portal and select the name search option provided on the database.
Alternatively, visit the county courthouse where the court case was heard, and the record kept and request the court record by providing the name(s) of the case party. For instance, requesters who want to conduct a name search at the Montgomery County Circuit Court can visit the office at
Montgomery County Circuit Court
251 S Lawrence Street
Courthouse Annex 1 - 3rd Floor
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (334) 832-1260
What is a Court Case Number?
In Alabama, a court case number is a combination of numbers and letters. It reflects the year the court case was filed, the type of court case filed, and the numbering position of the case.
How to Read a Court Case Number
In Alabama, each court case is assigned a unique number that allows easier access to court case documents and information about the documents. Every group of letters or numbers in a court case number represents specific information about the case. For instance, this case number 10-SM-2010-000100.00 can be read as:
- 10 is the county code for Butler County
- SM represents the case type
- 2010 represents the year the case was filed
- 000100.00 represents the sequence number
The aforementioned case number can be read as the 100th small claims case filed in 2010 in Butler County
How to Conduct a Case Number Search in Alabama
A person can conduct a case number search via the Court Access portal provided by the Alabama Judicial System. This search can be conducted by selecting the county where the case was filed, the case division, and the year the case was filed and then the type the case number in the search box. A nominal fee of $9.99 will be required for each case search report detail.
How to Remove Court Cases From Public Records in Alabama
In Alabama, the primary way to remove court cases from public records is through the process known as expungement. Expungement is a process by which the offender's criminal records are permanently removed from their criminal records and are treated like they never existed. Individuals with misdemeanor and felony offenses, traffic violations, and municipal ordinance violations can have their records expunged if they meet the eligibility requirements stated in the AL Code § 15-27-1&2. Eligible offenders can file a Petition For Expungement of Records form in the County criminal division of the circuit court where the charges were filed. If the petition is granted, all records kept by the court and any other law enforcement records are to be expunged. However, criminal records maintained by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, the district attorney, and the Office of Prosecution Services are exempt. Records of a person's criminal records are sent to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS), only to be made available when an investigation on the individual is to be carried out by the criminal justice agency.
How to Check a Court Case Status in Alabama
To check a court case status in Alabama, contact the clerk's office of the courthouse where the case was filed. The clerk will require that a case number or name of the case party be provided to facilitate the search. Alternatively, a requester can use the Just One Look tool on the Alabama Judicial System website to look up a court case status. Access to this online tool attracts a nominal fee of $9.99.
How to Find Supreme Court Decisions in Alabama
Supreme Court decisions can be found on the Alabama Judicial System website. Here is how to locate Supreme Court decisions:
- Go to the Alabama Judicial System website
- Click Supreme Court on the top menu
- Scroll down and click on the 'Supreme Court Decisions and Opinion' link at the left bar
Requeters can search for decisions via the search box or click any of the released weekly decisions.
What Percentage of Court Cases Go to Trial in Alabama?
Pursuant to the Alabama Unified Judicial System annual statistics, only 1% of court cases went to trial in 2021. About 0.57% of them were criminal cases, while 0.43% were civil cases.
How Long Does a Court Case Last in Alabama?
Below are the length of time court cases should take according to the Alabama Judicial System except for exceptional individual cases that require further reviews:
- For Circuit Civil cases: 90% of all circuit civil cases should be tried or settled within 18 months of filing; 95% within 24 months of filing; and the remainder within 30 months of filing.
- For District Civil cases: 95% of all district civil cases should be tried or settled within 10 months of filing and 100% within 15 months.
- For Small Claims cases: 95% of all small claims actions should be tried or settled within 8 months of filing and 100% within 12 months.
- Domestic Relations: 90% of all domestic relations matters should be tried or settled within 6 months of filing, 98% within 12 months, and 100% within 18 months.
- Circuit Felonies (Noncapital) and Misdemeanors: 90% of all circuit felony cases and misdemeanors should be tried or settled within 9 months of filing in circuit court and 100% within 12 months.
- District Misdemeanors, Traffic, and Conservation: 95% of all misdemeanors, traffic, conservation, other infractions, and nonfelony cases should be tried or settled within 4 months of filing and 100% within 6 months.
For Juvenile Cases:
- Adjudicatory/Transfer Hearing: 80% of all adjudicatory/transfer hearings should be held within 4 months of filing the petition and 100% within 9 months. Cases that involve the detainment of a child or the removal of a child from their home should be accelerated and concluded within two months of detention or removal.
- Dispositional Hearing: 75% of all dispositional hearings should be held within 1 month of the date of the fact-finding hearing and 100% within 3 months.
- Paternity Cases: 100% of all paternity cases should be tried or settled within either 12 months of successful service or the child's reaching 6 months of age, whichever comes later.
- Child Support Cases: 90% of all child support cases should be tried or settled within 3 months of the date of service, 98% within 6 months, and 100% within 12 months.
How to File a Case in Court in Alabama
Individuals can file cases in Alabama courts online or in person. Depending on the case type, individuals will be given the necessary forms to fill out at the court. After completing the forms, they can file them with the court clerks and pay the necessary filing fees. The Alameda Judiciary System has an E-filing tool licensed attorneys can use to file court cases. Legal filers must register and log in with their username and passwords to use this tool.
What Does It Mean if a Court Case Was Resolved Before the Trial Date?
If a court case was resolved before the trial date, it could mean one of these things has occurred:
- A plea bargain: This often occurs in criminal cases. Here, the prosecutor and the criminal defense attorney agree to settle the case with the defendant pleading guilty to a lesser charge or nolo contendere(no contest) for a reduced sentence.
- Mediation: This often involves the presence of a neutral third party. This third party helps the case parties settle without a trial. The third-party does not have the authority to compel the parties into an agreement to a decision but instead guides them into entering an agreement.
- Pre-trial conferences: This is similar to mediation, but the third-party present is the case's judge. It is not the actual trial but a conference that can either be petitioned by the judge or one or both parties involved in the case.
- Case dismissal: A case dismissal means to close a case. When resolving a case, a case dismissal must be without prejudice. This will enable the dismissal to be final and cannot be re-filed or reopened at a later time.
