Jefferson County Circuit Court Case Search

The Jefferson County Circuit Clerk’s Office is the official record keeper of all information received or created in the courthouse. Interested public members seeking to obtain the record must follow the requirements for accessing them. The court clerk or other official custodians may restrict unauthorized access to certain court documents. Such documents typically contain information whose disclosure violates the privacy and safety rights of concerned parties.

Note: Public members will typically conduct court records inquiries to find information about court events and to ensure the court follows standard procedures.

What kinds of cases have been heard in Jefferson Circuit Court?

The Jefferson County Circuit Court has authority over all case types that are beyond the jurisdiction of lower courts. For instance, the court hears all domestic relations court cases, including divorce, paternity, child support, and domestic violence protection orders. The court also enjoys exclusive authority over the following cases:

• Criminal cases: felonies and preliminary hearings for felonies.
• Civil cases: general civil (unlimited), complex commercial, civil equity, administrative agency appeals, real estate title and boundaries, and restraining orders.

The circuit court has different courthouses that are responsible for overseeing specific case types. For example, the circuit court in the Bessemer Justice Center oversees criminal, civil, traffic, domestic relations, and small claims.

Jefferson County Circuit Court

In Jefferson County, the circuit court is the highest trial court. It has authority over all cases filed within the county. Note that the court may have exclusive or shared jurisdiction over court cases. For instance, the circuit court has exclusive jurisdiction over all domestic relations cases and some civil or criminal cases. Civil cases in which the disputed amount is over $10,000 are under the court’s authority.

Local residents may use the circuit courts to handle important or significant court cases. For example, they may use the court to resolve civil disputes with high financial thresholds. Residents can file court cases at the following circuit court locations:

Jefferson County Circuit Court
Jefferson County Courthouse
716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 325-5355

Jefferson County Criminal Justice Center
801 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 325-5285
Fax: (205) 325-8754

Domestic Relations of Jefferson County
2124 7th Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 325-5400

Bessemer Justice Center
1851 2nd Avenue North
Bessemer, AL 35020
Phone: (205) 497-8510

Jefferson County Family Court
1801 3rd Avenue North
Bessemer, AL 35020
Phone: (205) 744-3500

120 2nd Court North
Birmingham, AL 35204
Phone: (205) 325-5491

Jefferson County Case Lookup

Interested parties can look up court records in Jefferson County by using these options:

Online searches and requests for court records

The Alabama Administrative Office of Courts hosts an online database of trial court cases. The database features information on case summaries, parties, financial information, and court images. To use the database, inquirers must first create an account and search court records by name or number.

Note: It costs $9.99 to search court records on the platform.

Interested parties can request court records through the Jefferson County Commission’s online request platform. After filling out the required information, inquirers must click on "Make Request" to submit the information. Upon receiving the form, the court clerk will review and send the requested document to the inquirer’s mail address. Inquirers can track the request status through the commission’s "Search Request" platform.

Walk-in requests for court records

The Jefferson County Circuit Clerks’ offices allow walk-in requests for court records in their custody. To obtain court records, inquirers must visit the clerks at these locations:

Jefferson County Circuit Clerk, Bessemer Division
Bessemer Judicial Building
1851 Second Avenue North
Bessemer, AL 35020
Phone: (205) 497-8510

Jefferson County, Birmingham Division
Jefferson County Courthouse
716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 325-5355

The request must contain identifying case information and the required fees. The fees may differ based on the number of requested copies, certification, and format of the requested document. Furthermore, inquirers must include a valid identification document to obtain confidential or restricted court documents.

Note: The court clerks attend to in-person requests for court records during weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jefferson Circuit Court Case Search by Name

Name-based searches require using the record subject’s names to access court documents. Interested persons or entities can name-search Jefferson County circuit court records through online or offline request options. The state’s case search platform also allows online name-based searches for court records. Interested users must first sign up or log in to an existing account on the search platform. Next, they must select the name search option to input the case party’s full name.

The Jefferson County Commission website, via an online request form, allows name-based requests for court documents. Applicants must provide the case party names in the allocated box and click on "Make a Request" to submit the form.

Alternatively, you can name-search court records by visiting the circuit clerks’ offices at:

Jefferson County Circuit Clerk, Bessemer Division
Bessemer Judicial Building
1851 Second Avenue North
Bessemer, AL 35020
Phone: (205) 497-8510

Jefferson County, Birmingham Division
Jefferson County Courthouse
716 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 325-5355

Name-based searches may sometimes bring up data about case parties with similar names. You can fine-tune and increase the accuracy by including other case document identifiers, like the case number and filing date range.

Jefferson Circuit Court Docket Search

Jefferson County’s court dockets are summary reports of all documents and activities in case proceedings. Such documents typically contain information on filings, case parties, exhibits, case descriptions, court dates, hearings, and orders.

To obtain court dockets in Jefferson County, inquirers may use the state’s online searchable database. Inquirers using the database must first create an account before inputting the case party’s last name and setting the date. However, not all court dockets are available on the platform. Inquirers must contact the circuit clerk’s office to obtain such docket information. The court clerks may attend to your request during business hours on weekdays.

Court docket searches are important for getting information about past and upcoming court activities.

Lookup Jefferson County Circuit Court Online

Persons or entities can look up Jefferson County Circuit court records through the state’s online databases. These databases offer access to case action summaries, court images, case party information, and court actions. Conversely, inquirers can access online court records by using third-party search sites like Alabamacourtrecords.us. These sites mostly feature user-friendly interfaces that enable users to conveniently locate court data. Some sites offer additional features, like direct downloads. Nevertheless, third-party search sites do not operate under government jurisdiction and are not reliable or verifiable sources for obtaining court documents.

Supreme Court vs. Circuit Court

The Alabama Supreme Court is different from the circuit court in Jefferson County. The former oversees the state’s judicial system, while the latter has judicial authority over most cases filed within the county. The Supreme Court has various duties, including reviewing decisions of the lower courts and the court of appeals. In addition, the court has exclusive jurisdiction over appeals in which the disputed amount is $50,000 or more. However, the circuit court has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases.