Russell County Court Records

Russell County court records exist in different formats, mainly electronic and paper forms. They contain information about cases filed in the county courts. The creation and maintenance of Russell County court records are mandated by law and the responsibilities of the court clerks. Although court records are public, their dissemination is subject to certain state laws and the court's discretion.

Court records help preserve legal history, serve as vital tools for legal research and analysis, and protect litigants' rights. Furthermore, their maintenance promotes transparency and accountability in the judicial system, as court actions and decisions are open to public scrutiny. While inspecting court records, one may find dispositions, orders, pleas, petitions, motions, and transcripts.

Are Court Records Public in Russell County?

Russell County court records are public according to the Alabama Public Records Law. This law gives citizens the right to access court records and other records in the custody of public and government agencies. Notwithstanding, the provisions of the public records law must be fulfilled in consistency with the record subject's privacy rights and public interest. Court records are exempt from public access if:

• They are sealed or expunged
• A court order restricts their dissemination
• Information contained in them pertains to adoptions, guardianship, or other sensitive probate cases
• The disclosure of such records may be detrimental to the public interest
• Their disclosure risks the security or safety of any person, group of persons, or infrastructure
• They contain information about juveniles, incapacitated individuals, and domestic abuse or rape victims.

Russell County Court Records Search

The options for obtaining Russell County court records are as follows:

• The clerk's office at the courthouse where a particular case was filed
• Public access terminals at courthouse lobbies
• Online search platforms
• Mail-in requests.

Russell County Courts

The Russell County court system consists of a circuit court, a district court, a probate court, and two municipal courts. The circuit court has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases; district courts handle both criminal and civil cases (involving amounts not exceeding $10,000); the probate court only handles probate matters; and municipal courts handle most municipal ordinance violations. See the addresses and contact information of these courts below:

Russell County Circuit Court
Russell County Judicial Center
501 14th St, Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone: (334) 298-6028

Russell County District Court
Russell County Judicial Center
501 14th St, Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone: (334) 298-6028

Russell County Probate Court
1000 Broad St, Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone: (334) 298-7979
Fax: (334) 298-7979

Hurtsboro Municipal Court
507 Railroad St, P.O. Box 358, Hurtsboro, AL 36860
Phone: (334) 667-6381

Phenix City Municipal Court
1111 Broad Street, Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone: (334) 448-2780
Fax: (334) 291-4765

Russell County Criminal Records

Law enforcement agencies maintain Russell County criminal records to document information about crime activities and offenders. A person's criminal history covers information about criminal offenses, arrests, court trials, sentencing, and paroles linked to their name. Under Alabama law, Russell County criminal records are not public. These records are only available to the individual named on the record, their attorneys, legally authorized employers, and law enforcement officers.

Russell County criminal records are available to authorized employers for background checks on prospective or current employees via the Alabama Background Check system. Qualified parties should visit the office location and complete the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information (CHRI). Searches on this platform are fingerprint-based and cost a $25.00 fee payable via cashier's checks and money orders. After the first copy, additional copies obtained during a search cost $5.00. Note that an annual subscription fee of $95.00 is required.

Mail correspondence should be addressed to P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511. In-person requests may be performed at

Alabama Law Enforcement Agencies
301 South Ripley Street,
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (334) 676-7897

Interested parties may obtain Russell County arrest records and police reports from the Russell County SSheriff'sOffice (RCSO). Inquirers may contact this office by mail or in person. In any case, such persons must possess information about the sought-after records, including names, date of birth, charge information, and arresting officer, which must be included in a written request. Requests may be submitted using any of the addresses below:

Physical Address:
Russell County SSheriff'sOffice
305 Prentiss Drive
Phenix City, AL 3689
Phone: (334) 298-6535

Mailing Address:
Russell County SSheriff'sOffice
P.O. Box 640
Phenix City, AL 36868.

Get Russell County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are those related to personal disputes and non-criminal offenses. They are public and are available for free via a public access computer in the lobby of the judicial annex. This service is available for free and the lobby is open to the public during regular business hours. On this computer, record seekers can view case information and document images. Fees are required if a person seems to obtain copies of records.

Interested parties may request civil court records from the circuit court clerk's office by filling out and submitting a record request form to their office. Search fees vary depending on the type of record requested and the number of pages:

1. Computerized searches cost $10.00
2. Archived records (filed before January 1, 2005) cost $25.00
3. A certified copy costs $5.00
4. The first 20 pages cost $5.00; additional copies cost $0.50 each.

Requests submitted by mail must include proof of fee payment by money order. Cash payments are only accepted for in-person requests. Requests should be addressed to:

Russell County Circuit Clerk
501 14th Street Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone: (334) 298-0516

Note that the information provided only applies to the district and circuit courts. For information on how to obtain case records from other Russell County courts, contact the relevant court. Find court addresses and contact information in a previous header.

Russell County Marriage Records

Marriages in Russell County fall within the jurisdiction of the county's probate court. The court clerk typically maintains a record of all marriages conducted in the county. The Alabama Department of Health maintains copies of marriage certificates issued in the state from 1936 to the present and may be queried for records. By Alabama law, marriage certificates are public.

The fee per search is $15.00, and $6.00 for additional copies obtained on the same day. Payment options are money orders and checks, all payable to the State Board of Health. Record seekers may obtain records from the office in person or send applications by mail to

Alabama Vital Records
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5625.

Information required to furnish a search are the maiden names of both spouses, marriage date, the county where the license was issued, name and signature of the requester, the rrequester'sphone number, and the address where the requested certificate is to be mailed. For further inquiries, contact the state department of health at (334) 206-5418.

Russell County Divorce Records

The Russell County Circuit Court handles divorce cases and its clerk may facilitate a divorce records search. To perform a search at this office, an individual needs to know the names of the divorced parties and their divorce date. This information may then be submitted to the court cclerk'soffice during requests.

Alternatively, one may obtain divorce certificates from the Alabama Department of Public Health. See the previous header for further information, including fees, mailing address, and phone number relevant to obtaining divorce records from this agency.

Russell Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records comprise Russell County vital records and are non-public under Alabama Law. People use their birth certificates for various purposes, e.g., during school enrollment and when applying for government I.D.s. Death certificates are required for insurance claims, among other uses. Other interested individuals may inspect public copies of these certificates for genealogical research and to satisfy personal curiosity.

Russell County birth certificates only become public after 125 years have passed since the date of birth, whereas death certificates become public 25 years from the date of death. Confidential birth and death certificates may be obtained for a fee upon request by record bearers (for birth certificates), parents or legal guardians, spouses, adult children, siblings, and legal representatives of authorized persons.

The fee to search for a birth or death certificate is $15.00 per search and $6.00 for additional copies requested. Requesters are required to pay an extra $15.00 to expedite a search. Fees may be paid by money orders or checks payable to "State Board of Health". To perform a search, one must provide sufficient information to identify the sought-after certificate, including the record bearer's full name, date of birth or death, county of birth or death, and sex.

For mail-in requests, include the address where the requested certificate is to be mailed. To obtain a certificate, visit the Health Department located in Russell County or complete a mail-in application and send it with the appropriate fee to

Alabama Vital Records
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5625.

For further inquiries, contact this office at (334) 206-5418.

Russell County Probate Court Records

The Russell County Probate Court handles conservatorship and guardianship, name change, wills and administration, involuntary commitment, adoptions, and other probate legal matters. Probate court case records are selectively available, as certain cases are confidential, such as those related to adoptions and guardianship. Eligible record seekers may search for records by providing the clerk with case numbers or party names on the record of interest.

Contact the court clerk's office at the Russell County Courthouse to confirm if you are eligible to view a particular record. The office is open to visitors Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Russell County Property Records

Russell County property records exist for every piece of real estate within the county to preserve essential information about ownership, appraised value, location, tax map, deeds, etc. Interested parties can view the county's property records online. The Russell County Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping Department provides data on this website.

Also, the Alabama Secretary of State provides an online lookup tool for land records. This website allows users to find information about real properties located in any county within the state and offers a name search option.

Russell County Court Records Online

Many online resources like alabamacourtrecords.us exist alongside official sources for Russell County court record searches. Record seekers are allowed to access records remotely via the Internet. These sites are easy to use, as they come equipped with user-friendly interfaces, search filters, and search parameters. In many cases, a person only needs to know the county where a case was filed and any litigant's last name. However, note that the accuracy and completeness of obtained information is not guaranteed.