Alabama Court Records Search by Name: AlaCourt, Just One Look, Clerks, Traffic, Appeals & PACER
Use this guide to search Alabama court records by name, case number, county, court type, traffic citation, appellate docket, archived file, or federal case route.
Alabama court access is not one simple free statewide box. AlaCourt is the main electronic trial-court access route, county clerks maintain official files and certified copies, Probate and Municipal Courts may require separate routes, and federal records use PACER.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This website is not the Alabama Judicial System, Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, AlaCourt, AlaFile, AlaPay, a county Circuit Clerk, a Probate Court, a Municipal Court, ALEA, PACER, a government agency, a court, or a law firm. This article is general public-record information only and is not legal advice.
Responsible-use warning: a name match, arrest, charge, complaint, indictment, ticket, petition, lawsuit, docket event, warrant reference, or judgment entry does not prove identity, guilt, liability, payment status, or current disposition. Do not use this page as an employment, tenant, credit, insurance, licensing, or FCRA-regulated screening product.
Alabama court records depend on the case type and the record custodian
Alabama’s Unified Judicial System includes the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Civil Appeals, Circuit Courts, District Courts, Probate Courts, and Municipal Courts. For most state trial-court case access, start with AlaCourt or the county’s circuit-clerk route.
But AlaCourt is not the same as a certified copy from a clerk, a traffic-ticket payment screen, a probate land-record search, a municipal court record, an ALEA criminal-history report, an appellate record, or a federal PACER docket.
County matters usually route through the local Circuit Clerk or court clerk.
Listed for name or case-number searches with one case detail included.
Alabama small claims are on the District Court small-claims docket.
Alabama Rules of Court-Record Privacy and Confidentiality became effective January 1, 2025.
Alabama court record route finder
Select the record type. This privacy-safe tool runs in your browser and does not ask for a name, case number, date of birth, Social Security number, citation number, address, or private identifier.
Compare county, court, case number, charge entries, court actions, plea, sentence, dismissal, and final disposition. A charge or arrest is not a conviction.
Choose the correct Alabama court-record route before searching
Do not search every record through one portal. Alabama trial-court records, probate records, municipal matters, traffic citations, jail records, state criminal-history checks, appeals, and federal cases are different record routes.
| Need | Correct source | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal case | AlaCourt / county Circuit Clerk / Circuit Court | Search AlaCourt by case number or name, then verify county, court, case-action summary, plea, sentence, dismissal, and final disposition with the clerk if needed. |
| Misdemeanor criminal case | District Court or Municipal Court, depending on the charge | Use AlaCourt for state trial-court records and check the municipal court if the matter is a city ordinance or municipal case. |
| Civil lawsuit over $20,000 | Circuit Court / Circuit Clerk | Use the county and case number when possible. Check docket entries for judgment, dismissal, appeal, satisfaction, stay, or post-judgment activity. |
| District civil case or eviction | District Court / Circuit Clerk route | District Court generally handles civil actions up to $20,000 and unlawful detainer matters. Verify local filing/copy procedures with the county clerk. |
| Small claims | District Court small-claims docket | Small claims are generally civil actions up to $6,000. Use AlaCourt for record access and the county clerk for forms, copies, and certified documents. |
| Divorce, custody, support, or domestic relations | Circuit Court / Domestic Relations route | Search carefully and expect privacy limits. Certified divorce decrees and sensitive domestic documents require the responsible clerk route. |
| Probate, estate, will, guardianship, marriage, or recorded land matter | County Probate Court / Judge of Probate | Do not assume every probate or recorded document is in AlaCourt. Use the county probate office or county official lookup for the correct probate route. |
| State traffic ticket | Alabama Traffic Service Center / AlaPay / county Circuit Clerk | Use the UTC ticket number and ticketed county. Allow time for entry into the court system and do not pay if you plan to request defensive driving school. |
| Municipal traffic or ordinance matter | Municipal Court or selected municipal ticket route | Check the city court named on the citation or notice. Some municipal tickets are supported by AlaPay, but city courts can have local procedures. |
| Appeal from an Alabama case | Alabama appellate public portal / Supreme Court / Court of Civil Appeals / Court of Criminal Appeals | Use appellate case number when known and compare the lower-court case number to the trial-court record. |
| Federal district or bankruptcy case | PACER / Northern, Middle, or Southern District of Alabama / bankruptcy court | Use PACER Case Locator if the federal court is unknown. Alabama state systems do not contain federal dockets. |
| Criminal-history or background-check record | ALEA Criminal Records / Alabama Background Check route | Do not treat a court docket as a formal background check. ALEA criminal-history access has separate rules, fingerprint, ID, fee, and misuse warnings. |
How to use AlaCourt and Just One Look for Alabama court records
Just One Look is Alabama’s on-demand public access route for state trial court records one case at a time. AlaCourt.com subscription access is designed for recurring users and is described as a read-only application for trial court records, including case details and images.
AlaFile is different. AlaFile is Alabama’s court e-filing system for registered users such as Alabama attorneys and pro se parties. AlaPay is also different. AlaPay is for paying eligible state traffic tickets and criminal fines.
Confirm the address is pa.alacourt.com before paying for a name search, case-number search, document image, or case monitoring.
Name searches can return multiple people or businesses. A case-number search is usually safer when you already have the correct court case number.
Just One Look lists $9.99 for a name search or case-number search, document image charges, and separate case-monitoring prices.
Review county, court, case type, parties, setting dates, court actions, financial information, document availability, and case-action summary.
The terms explain that a purchased detail snapshot reflects the detail as viewed on the search date and may not match later official-court-record activity.
When you need a certified order, certified disposition, certified judgment, divorce decree, or older file, contact the clerk that maintains the original record.
Alabama court-record search, document, copy, certification, traffic, and PACER fees
Fees depend on the system and office. AlaCourt charges for online trial-court access, county clerks charge for copies or certifications, Traffic Service Center and AlaPay handle eligible ticket payments, and PACER charges separately for federal court records.
| Request | Known official fee or rule | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
| AlaCourt Just One Look name search | $9.99, with one case detail included; additional case detail access may cost more. | Search narrowly and avoid broad common-name searches unless you can compare case details safely. |
| AlaCourt Just One Look case-number search | $9.99, with one case detail included. | Use exact case number when available and confirm county before purchasing. |
| AlaCourt document images | $5.00 for the first 20 pages and $0.50 per page thereafter. | Review document page count before purchase and remember that online images are not the same as certified copies. |
| AlaCourt case monitoring | Just One Look lists $19.99 for a District case and $29.99 for a Circuit case for lifetime case monitoring. | Use only when you need ongoing notification and understand the monitoring terms. |
| County clerk copies | Many Alabama circuit-clerk pages list copies at $5.00 for the first 20 pages and $0.50 for additional pages, but county procedures can differ. | Verify the current fee with the specific county clerk before mailing payment. |
| County clerk certification | Many Alabama circuit-clerk pages list certification at $5.00 per document. | Ask whether certification, exemplification, or another authentication is required for your purpose. |
| Traffic payment through AlaPay | AlaPay states that a 4% service fee is charged through the website. | Keep the receipt and confirmation number. Do not pay before requesting defensive driving school if that is your plan. |
| ALEA CHRI review / background check | ALEA lists a $25.00 payment for an Alabama criminal-history review request, with fingerprinting and current photo ID required. | Use ALEA only for criminal-history/background-check purposes, not ordinary court docket research. |
| PACER federal records | PACER pricing verified September 4, 2026: $0.10 per page, many case-specific documents capped at $3.00, and charges of $30 or less waived quarterly. A temporary increase to $0.12 per page and a $40 quarterly waiver threshold is announced for January 1, 2027. | Use date limits and case numbers because PACER search results can be billable even when no match appears. |
AlaCourt / clerk copy-cost estimator
This is only a planning aid. The official AlaCourt screen, clerk quote, receipt, court order, statute, or fee schedule controls.
How to get certified Alabama court records from the correct clerk
AlaCourt can help you locate a case, but certified court records come from the clerk that maintains the original court file. Alabama circuit clerks are responsible for keeping civil and criminal dockets, papers, books, and records for their offices and issuing certified transcripts or copies upon application and payment of legal fees.
| Record needed | Likely custodian | Information to provide |
|---|---|---|
| Felony disposition, criminal judgment, sentence, or order | Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed | Case number, defendant name, filing year, charge or document title, and whether certification is required. |
| Misdemeanor, state traffic, or district criminal record | Circuit Clerk / District Court route for the county | Case number or UTC ticket number, party name, county, date range, document needed, and payment method. |
| Civil judgment, order, complaint, eviction, or small-claims record | Circuit Clerk / District Court or Circuit Court route | Case number, parties, case type, filing year, document name, and certification need. |
| Divorce decree, custody order, child support order, or domestic relations file | Circuit Clerk / Domestic Relations route | Case number, spouses or parties, filing year, exact order/decree requested, and proof of authorization if required. |
| Estate, will, guardianship, marriage, deed, or land-record item | County Probate Court / Judge of Probate | County, names, filing or recording date, book/page or instrument number if known, and certification request. |
| State appellate certificate or appellate record | Clerk of the Supreme Court of Alabama / appellate court clerk | Appellate case number, party names, certificate type, document title, payment, and delivery method. |
Use AlaCourt, the county clerk, appellate resources, or PACER to identify the court, county, case number, and document title.
A plain copy, certified copy, certificate, transcript, exemplified copy, or appellate certificate may serve different purposes.
County clerk pages often require money order, cashier’s check, or specific payment methods. Some offices do not accept personal checks.
Include requester contact details, case number if known, party names, date range, case type, document needed, certification need, and return method.
Official Alabama court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Use official or court-linked systems only. Each resource below includes an “After opening this link” checklist so users know what to do next.
Use this for on-demand Alabama state trial court record access one case at a time.
- Review the pricing before searching.
- Choose name search or case-number search.
- Compare county, court, case number, and party role.
- Save the case number before requesting certified copies from the clerk.
Use this for read-only subscriber access to trial court records, including case details and images.
- Confirm you need recurring subscription access.
- Review the service agreement and contact options.
- Do not share account credentials.
- Use the clerk for certified copies or official verification.
Use this for electronic filing, not ordinary public case searching.
- Confirm whether you are an attorney, pro se individual, or pro se business user.
- Use eFile information for registration and filing help.
- Contact the AOC help desk for technical questions.
- Use AlaCourt or the clerk for record-search and copy questions.
Use this to find county-specific Circuit and District Court information.
- Select the county from the map or dropdown.
- Open the local circuit page.
- Look for record request, copies, fees, traffic, small claims, and clerk contact sections.
- Call the listed office before mailing payment or visiting.
Use this to find mailing addresses and phone numbers for Circuit Clerks and Judges of Probate in Alabama’s 67 counties.
- Search by county or city.
- Choose Circuit Clerk for court records.
- Choose Judge of Probate for probate, estate, land, and certain recorded records.
- Confirm current procedures with the office before sending requests.
Use this for Alabama traffic citation questions, online traffic resolution, payment routing, and traffic call-center information.
- Use the ticketed county and UTC ticket number.
- Allow up to 10 business days for a ticket to enter the court system.
- Use RESOLVE if requesting an online option before court.
- Do not pay if you plan to request defensive driving school.
Use this for eligible state traffic tickets and disposed Circuit, District, or Municipal criminal cases with outstanding balances.
- Choose ticket-number or case-number payment route.
- Prepare UTC ticket number or case number and required official identifiers.
- Review the 4% service fee before paying online.
- Save the receipt and confirmation number.
Use this when record access, privacy, procedure, or filing rules matter.
- Open the current rules list.
- Choose the relevant rule set.
- Check revision dates and official notes.
- Use the rules for general research, not individualized legal advice.
Use this for Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, appellate public portal, opinions, and appellate court information.
- Open Appellate Courts Public Portal when searching an appeal.
- Use the appellate case number when known.
- Compare the lower-court case number.
- Use the appellate clerk for certificates or copy questions.
Use this for older appellate briefs, record-on-appeal microfilm, oral argument materials, orders, and historical appellate document availability.
- Review the date range for each document type.
- Check whether the material is online, microfilm, or available for purchase.
- Contact the library before visiting.
- Use the appellate court website for current opinions.
Use this for historical Alabama Supreme Court cases from 1820 to 1893.
- Search by county, year, or keyword.
- Record the case title and archive details.
- For later cases, check appearance dockets and library resources.
- Contact archives staff before relying on availability or visiting.
Use this for Alabama criminal-history review and background-check routing, not ordinary court docket searching.
- Review the CHRI review application route.
- Prepare fingerprinting, current photo ID, application, and payment if required.
- Read misuse warnings carefully.
- Use court records separately to verify court disposition.
Use this for federal district, bankruptcy, and federal appellate records.
- Use Case Locator if you do not know the federal court.
- Search the specific Alabama federal court for the most current docket.
- Review PACER pricing before opening results or documents.
- Do not search Alabama state AlaCourt for federal dockets.
Use this to identify Alabama Northern, Middle, and Southern District or Bankruptcy Court CM/ECF routes.
- Search by Alabama or by court name.
- Choose District or Bankruptcy court type.
- Open the specific court’s CM/ECF or contact page.
- Verify county, division, and court location before filing or visiting.
Alabama court-record offices, statewide contacts, and courthouse map
For a specific county case, use the county Circuit Clerk or court clerk first. For statewide court technology, appellate resources, and Alabama Judicial System information, the primary state court location is the Heflin-Torbert Judicial Building in Montgomery.
Judicial Building
300 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: 1-866-954-9411
AOC main number listed by the site: 334-954-5000
Alabama Administrative Office of Courts
300 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
Help desk: 1-866-954-9411, Option 1, Option 4
Email: AOCHelpdesk@alacourt.gov
Supreme Court of Alabama: 334-229-0700
Court of Civil Appeals: 334-229-0733
Court of Criminal Appeals: 334-229-0751
State Law Library: 334-229-0578
Appellate IT Help Desk: 334-229-0500
300 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
Library hours listed by the Alabama Judicial System: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., except state holidays.
Alabama traffic citation records, AlaPay, and Online Traffic Resolution
Traffic citations can involve court records, payments, driver-license consequences, defensive driving requests, or court appearances. The Alabama Traffic Service Center says tickets may take up to 10 business days to enter the court system.
- State traffic citation information.
- Online Traffic Resolution options.
- Driving-school request guidance.
- Traffic call-center contact details.
- County-specific traffic information.
- Eligible traffic-ticket payment.
- Disposed Circuit, District, or Municipal criminal case payment with an outstanding balance.
- Ticket-number or case-number payment route.
- Receipt and confirmation number after online payment.
Alabama court records are not the same as ALEA criminal-history records
AlaCourt and county clerks show court case information and official court files. ALEA handles Alabama criminal-history and background-check processes through the Criminal Records Identification Unit and related systems.
| Need | Use this source | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Court case, docket, judgment, order, disposition, certified court copy | AlaCourt, county Circuit Clerk, court clerk, appellate clerk | A court docket may not equal a full criminal-history report or current background-check result. |
| Alabama criminal-history review or background check | ALEA Criminal Records / Alabama Background Check route | ALEA requires specific procedures and warns against misuse of criminal offender record information. |
| Current custody, jail, booking, or inmate status | County sheriff or jail | Booking or custody information is separate from court disposition. |
| Sex offender information | ALEA public registry route | Do not confuse registry searches with ordinary court records or complete criminal-history reports. |
Court-record access limits, confidentiality, sealing, and expungement
Alabama court records may be public, partly public, confidential, sealed, expunged, restricted by rule, restricted by statute, or unavailable online. The Alabama Rules of Court-Record Privacy and Confidentiality were adopted effective January 1, 2025.
- Juvenile case materials.
- Sealed or expunged records.
- Protected personal identifiers.
- Adoption, mental-health, and sensitive family matters.
- Protected-person information.
- Documents restricted by court order, statute, or privacy rule.
- Confirm county, court, case number, and filing year.
- Check whether you are searching the correct system.
- Ask the clerk whether the document is public but not online.
- Ask whether a paper, archive, or microfilm search is needed.
- Respect sealed, expunged, juvenile, and confidential restrictions.
Alabama appellate and historical court records
Trial-court dockets and appellate dockets are separate. If a Circuit or District Court case was appealed, use the Alabama appellate resources and compare the lower-court case number with the appellate case number.
Use the Appellate Courts Public Portal and the Alabama Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, or Court of Criminal Appeals pages. Search by appellate case number when known.
The Clerk of the Supreme Court accepts certificate requests electronically, in person, and by mail with appropriate payment. Use the official certificate-request page for current instructions.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History provides a Supreme Court Cases Database for cases from 1820 to 1893. Later materials may require appearance dockets, library resources, or archives staff help.
Alabama federal and bankruptcy court records use PACER, not AlaCourt
Federal court records are separate from Alabama state court records. Use PACER for federal district, bankruptcy, and federal appellate records. If you do not know which federal court has the case, start with PACER Case Locator.
| Federal record need | Correct route | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Federal civil or criminal case in north Alabama | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama / PACER | County, division, courthouse, case number, and whether the matter is federal rather than state. |
| Federal civil or criminal case in central or southeast Alabama | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama / PACER | Division, courthouse, and case filing location. The Middle District has Northern, Eastern, and Southern divisions. |
| Federal civil or criminal case in south Alabama | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama / PACER | District, division, and federal case number. |
| Bankruptcy case | U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the correct Alabama federal district / PACER | County, bankruptcy district, chapter, debtor name, and case number. |
| Unknown Alabama federal court | PACER Case Locator | Use state, party name, and date filters carefully because PACER search results can generate charges. |
What to do if an Alabama court-record search returns no result
- Wrong county or court level.
- Wrong system: AlaCourt, county clerk, probate, municipal, traffic, appellate, ALEA, jail, or PACER.
- Name entered differently from the official filing name.
- Business suffix, DBA, maiden name, middle name, alias, or spelling issue.
- Searching by name when the case number or citation number is available.
- Using a broad common-name search that returns unrelated matches.
- Sealed or expunged record.
- Juvenile, adoption, protected-person, or confidential material.
- Case is too new to appear online.
- Older paper, microfilm, archive, or non-automated record.
- Local municipal or probate record not stored in the expected state trial-court route.
- Federal or bankruptcy case searched in the state system.
How to read Alabama case details without over-interpreting them
A case-action summary, docket entry, setting date, or financial entry can be useful, but it is not always the full legal story. Read the complete sequence and confirm the official disposition before relying on a result.
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant, appellee, debtor, creditor, decedent, personal representative, guardian, and ward are roles. A party role does not automatically mean wrongdoing.
Complaint, indictment, petition, summons, motion, order, hearing, judgment, dismissal, plea, sentence, warrant, continuance, and satisfaction should be read with later entries.
Costs, fines, fees, balances, payments, and interest may change. Use the clerk or court payment system for current payment status.
Use Alabama court records carefully
- Do not identify someone from a common name alone.
- Compare county, court, case number, filing date, party role, attorney, docket activity, and lawful identifiers.
- Do not assume an arrest, charge, citation, complaint, or petition is true.
- Do not assume a civil judgment reflects current payment or satisfaction status.
- Do not harass, threaten, shame, or retaliate against anyone.
- Do not republish children’s names, protected addresses, medical details, financial identifiers, or unnecessary personal information.
- Do not bypass sealed, expunged, juvenile, protected-person, mental-health, adoption, or confidential restrictions.
- Contact the official custodian for corrections, sealing, expungement, and certified-copy needs.
Frequently asked questions about Alabama court records
What is the official way to search Alabama court records by name?
Start with AlaCourt Just One Look for on-demand Alabama state trial court access or AlaCourt subscription access for recurring use. Search by name or case number only after reviewing the pricing and limits. For certified copies, older files, or official verification, contact the circuit clerk or court clerk that maintains the original case file.
Is Alabama court records search free?
Alabama does not provide one free statewide public search that replaces AlaCourt and every local clerk. Just One Look lists paid name and case-number searches. Some county clerk offices provide public access terminals during business hours, but copy, certification, research, archive, and mail-service fees may still apply.
What records are available through AlaCourt Just One Look?
Just One Look lists Alabama court records available for criminal, civil, small claims, state traffic, domestic relations, and child support matters. It supports name searches and case-number searches, with separate pricing for searches, document images, and case monitoring.
Can I search Alabama criminal court records by name?
Yes, AlaCourt supports name searches for Alabama trial court records, including criminal records. A name match alone is not proof of identity or conviction, so compare county, court, case number, party role, charge entries, court actions, disposition, and later docket activity.
Are Alabama court records the same as an Alabama background check?
No. Court records show case filings, dockets, hearings, orders, judgments, and dispositions. Alabama criminal-history and background-check records are handled through ALEA criminal records processes and have their own eligibility, fingerprint, ID, fee, and misuse rules.
Which Alabama court handles felony, civil, small claims, probate, and municipal cases?
Circuit Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction and handles felony prosecutions and larger civil matters. District Court handles limited civil matters, small claims, state traffic, and many misdemeanors. Probate Court handles probate and estate-related records, and Municipal Court handles municipal ordinance and city traffic matters where provided by law.
How do I get certified copies of Alabama court records?
Identify the county, court, case number, party names, filing year, and exact document needed, then contact the circuit clerk, district clerk, probate office, municipal court clerk, or appellate clerk that maintains the record. A downloaded screen or search result is not the same as a certified copy.
Where do I search Alabama traffic ticket records?
Use the Alabama Traffic Service Center and AlaPay for state traffic citation resolution and payment routes. The Traffic Service Center says tickets may take up to 10 business days to enter the court system, and users should not pay a ticket if they plan to request defensive driving school.
Where do I search Alabama appellate cases?
Use the Alabama Judicial System appellate resources, including the Appellate Courts Public Portal, Supreme Court of Alabama, Court of Civil Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals pages. Older appellate materials may require the Alabama Supreme Court and State Law Library or the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
Where do I search Alabama federal court records?
Use PACER for federal district and bankruptcy records. Alabama federal cases are separate from state AlaCourt records and may belong to the Northern, Middle, or Southern District of Alabama, or to the corresponding bankruptcy court.
Official-source review checklist
This guide was reviewed against official Alabama Judicial System pages, Alabama Administrative Office of Courts pages, AlaCourt Just One Look, AlaCourt subscription access, AlaFile, Alabama Judicial Circuits county information, Alabama Secretary of State county official lookup, Alabama Traffic Service Center, AlaPay, Alabama Rules of Court, Alabama Rules of Court-Record Privacy and Confidentiality, Alabama appellate court pages, Supreme Court certificate request resources, Alabama Supreme Court and State Law Library appellate-document resources, Alabama Department of Archives and History Supreme Court Cases Database, ALEA Criminal Records, PACER, and federal court lookup resources. Review date: September 4, 2026.