Alabama court records are filed with the Circuit Clerk in each county. The Circuit Court handles trial-level cases. Alabama does not have a single statewide court search portal — you must go to the county where the case was filed.
What this page covers: Alabama state court case records. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.
Where to start: Identify the county where the case was filed, then contact the Circuit Clerk in that county. Some counties courts offer online case search on their individual websites.
Common mistake: Without a statewide portal, many people search the wrong county. If you are unsure where a case was filed, start with the county where the defendant lived or where the incident occurred.
Alabama Court Records — Key Numbers (FY2025)
What Alabama court records actually cost
Alabama charges for depth: basic case lookups are available at no cost, but full Alacourt docket access runs on a paid subscription used mostly by attorneys and screeners. Certified copies are billed per document by the clerk, and expungement filing fees are set by statute — several hundred dollars in most Alabama case types.
Exact amounts are set by each court's current fee schedule — check the official source before you order.
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Primary Sources and Official Record Portals
- www.alacourt.gov — Unified Judicial System — Main judicial-branch portal for Alabama
- Alabama case access — Public case-search portal
- Alabama court statistics — Official caseload statistics
- Alabama annual report — Most recent annual report (PDF)
- uscourts.gov — PACER — Federal court records (separate system)
- uscourts.gov — Judicial Business 2025 — Federal caseload context
Related Court Records Resources
- Alabama Criminal Records →
- Alabama Property Records →
- Alabama Vital Records →
- Alabama Voter Records →
- Alabama Wants & Warrants →
- Alabama Licenses →
- Alabama Recorded Documents →
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Court Records Databases
8 official Alabama court records sources.
Court Records
Alabama Counties
67 Alabama counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.
Which Alabama counties publish court dockets online
29 of Alabama's 67 counties run their own online source for court dockets, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above — click a county for its full records page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Alabama court cases online?▼
Alabama's trial courts publish case lookups through the Unified Judicial System. Start at www.alacourt.gov — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.
Is there a free statewide court case search in Alabama?▼
The Unified Judicial System operates Alabama's official statewide judicial portal at www.alacourt.gov. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for Alabama residents are searched separately through PACER.
What's the difference between trial and appellate courts in Alabama?▼
Trial courts in Alabama handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The Unified Judicial System publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at www.alacourt.gov.
How far back do Alabama court records go online?▼
Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most Alabama county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the Unified Judicial System portal at www.alacourt.gov for each court's coverage window.
Are sealed or expunged Alabama cases visible in the online search?▼
No. Alabama courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the Unified Judicial System portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.