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 4, 2026.
Washington County, Alabama, has about 15,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Washington 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, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Washington County public records, Washington County arrest records, Washington County warrants, Washington County inmate search, Washington County criminal records, Alabama arrest records and Alabama inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Washington County
Court cases from Washington County are filed in the Washington County Circuit Court, which hears felonies, civil cases over $20,000, divorces and appeals from the district court.
Below it, 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 Washington County
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at washington.alacourt.gov (page title: Washington County | First Circuit Court of Alabama), phone 251.847.2239, 45 Court Street, Chatom, AL 36518, 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 Washington County
Together, the three agencies in Washington County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 364 arrests to the FBI that year; the District Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Washington County Circuit Court or the District Court.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at jeffcobessemerda.org/lynneice-o-washington (page title: DA Lynneice O. Washington | Jeffco Bessemer DA), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
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 Washington County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Washington County criminal records, Washington County divorce records, Washington County traffic tickets and Washington County DUI.
More Official Court Pages for Washington County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Washington County and Alabama. These court pages from its Washington County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Alabama Administrative Office of Courts (alacourt.gov)
Cities in Washington County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Washington County Circuit Court or the District Court; tickets under a city's own ordinances go to its municipal court where it has one.
The cities and towns in the county are Chatom, Millry and McIntosh.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Washington County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at washington.alacourt.gov, phone 251.847.2239. Statewide, Alacourt is the statewide online index of Alabama trial court cases, sold by subscription.
Which court hears felonies in Washington County?
The Washington 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 Washington County?
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 Washington County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.