Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Alabaster, Alabama, in Shelby County, has about 34,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Shelby County Circuit Court and the District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Circuit Clerk, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: Alabaster public records, Shelby County court records, Alabaster arrest records, Alabaster warrants, Alabaster inmate search, Alabaster criminal records, Alabama arrest records and Alabama inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Alabaster
In Alabaster, the Shelby County Circuit Court hears felonies, civil cases over $20,000, divorces and appeals from the district court.
The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
A city with a municipal court of its own tries the tickets written under its ordinances.
Divorces go to the Circuit Court, and the file stays with the Circuit Clerk.
The Circuit Clerk keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Alabama Public Records Law.
Looking Up a Case from Alabaster
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at shelby.alacourt.gov (page title: Welcome to the Shelby County Circuit Clerk's Office), phone 205-669-3760, 112 North Main Street P.O. Box 1810 Columbiana, AL 35051, Monday Through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Statewide, Alacourt is the statewide online index of Alabama trial court cases, sold by subscription.
The appellate courts' case search is at publicportal.alappeals.gov/portal/search/case.
What Reaches the Court from Alabaster
Together, the eight agencies in Shelby County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 5,526 arrests to the FBI that year; the District Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Shelby County Circuit Court or the District Court.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Alabaster guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Alabaster criminal records, Alabaster divorce records, Alabaster traffic tickets, Alabaster DUI and Alabaster property records.
More Official Court Pages for Shelby County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Shelby County and Alabama. These court pages from its Shelby County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Alabama Administrative Office of Courts (alacourt.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Alabaster?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at shelby.alacourt.gov, phone 205-669-3760. Statewide, Alacourt is the statewide online index of Alabama trial court cases, sold by subscription.
Which court hears felonies in Alabaster?
The Shelby County Circuit Court, which hears felonies, civil cases over $20,000, divorces and appeals from the district court. The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and preliminary hearings in felony cases.
Who keeps the court records in Alabaster?
The Circuit Clerk. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Alabama?
Yes: Alacourt, the statewide online index of Alabama trial court cases, sold by subscription.
Is this the official Alabaster website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.