Shelby County Court Records

Shelby County Court Records are materials containing a general review of legal law cases in the county. This type of record is usually created by the court and maintained by the court clerk in the county. It includes criminal case briefs, civil litigations, traffic violations, testaments, pleadings, complaints, audio or video recordings, orders, and judgments. Alabama court records are vital to the legal process, helping to ensure that justice is done fairly and impartially within the judicial system.

Are Court Records Public in Shelby County?

Yes. According to the Alabama Open Records Act, all Shelby County Public Records, whether in writing, recording, or other forms, are in the custody of government officials and accessible upon request. Anyone interested in getting copies of these records must contact the agencies in charge of creating and maintaining them for public dealings and transactions.

According to the Alabama FOIA law, citizens may inspect and make copies of these public writings unless exempt from public disclosure by an order of a court or any other law (section 36-12-40). Shelby County allows any authorized agency to withhold certain records from the public. The following records are among the exceptions to this public disclosure rule:

• Personnel information about victims, parties, or witnesses
• Seal, youthful offender, and juvenile court records
• Records subject to attorney-client privilege
• Medical or finance information in non-criminal case records
• Records relating to the negotiation and award of a contract, before a contract is awarded
• Mental health records
• Sensitive matters or security information.

Shelby County Court Records Search

Interested persons can search for Shelby County court records at any of the following sources or offices:

• The court that adjudicated the case
• The Shelby County Circuit Clerk's Office
• Through third-party court records search websites.

Shelby County Court Records Search by Name

Persons who want to find court records by name in Shelby County must know the full names of the case parties. In some search cases, the searcher must also know the names of the attorneys in charge of the case.

This information can help a requestor conduct a name-based search for court records in person at the court clerk’s office using the public access terminals. To obtain records at the courthouse, the requestors must provide the following:

• Form of identification such as a state-issued ID
• A complete written application form to make a request
• Additional information such as type of case, hearing date, filing date, and charges related to the case
• Search, copy, and certification fees.

Searchers may also access and obtain court records online at the official website of the Shelby County Judicial System. The website allows individuals to access court records like criminal, civil, domestic relations, child support, and small records through:

• The Just One Look AlaCourt tool allows users to conduct an online docket list search using name and case number. A docket is a court record in which the court clerk briefly lists all the proceedings and filings in a court case. To conduct a name search costs $9.99(one case detail included).
• The Alabama File (AlaFile) system allows users to access copies of court records electronically. However, users must have a subscription account.

Shelby County Courts

The Court system in Shelby County consists of a circuit court, district court, probate court, and eight municipal courts. Below are the addresses and contact information of all courts in the Shelby County jurisdiction:

Shelby County Circuit Court
Shelby County Courthouse
112 North Main Street
P.O. Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-3760
Fax: (205) 669-3786

Shelby County District Court
Shelby County Courthouse
112 N Main Street
P.O. Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-3760
Fax: (205) 669-3786

Shelby County Probate Court
Shelby County Courthouse
112 North Main Street
P.O. Box 825
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-3710
Fax: (205) 669-3714

Alabaster Municipal Court
1953 Municipal Way Suite 100
Alabaster, AL 35007
Phone: (205) 664-6835

Calera Municipal Court
10947 Hwy 25
Calera, AL 35040
Phone: (205) 668-3801
Fax: (205) 668-3624

Columbiana Municipal Court
107 Mildred Street
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-5806

Helena Municipal Court
816 Highway 52 East
Helena, AL 35080
Phone: (205) 663-2161
Fax: (205) 663-9276

Pelham Municipal Court
32 Philip Davis Street
P.O. Box 1419
Pelham, AL 35124
Phone: (205) 620-6407
Fax: (205) 620-6566

Vincent Municipal Court
25 Florey Street
P.O. Box 49
Vincent, AL 35178
Phone: (205) 672-2261

Wilton Municipal Court
100 Depot Street
P.O. Box 159
Wilton, AL 35187
Phone: (205) 665-2021
Fax: (205) 665-2080

Shelby County Superior Court Case Search

Shelby County Circuit Court handles all the various types of circuit civil cases that do not exceed more than $3,000, excluding interest and costs. It hears appeals from the District, Probate, and Municipal Courts. Shelby Circuit Court shares jurisdiction with District Courts in felony cases where a guilty plea is entered. However, this relates to only felony cases that are not punishable by death sentence.

Court case information which includes civil and criminal cases is under the maintenance of the circuit court clerk and can be obtained directly from the office. Interested individuals can visit the office where the court case was filed in person. The office is open to visitors from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Mondays through Fridays.

To obtain copies of court records, interested persons must complete a request for a record search form on the official website. Requests for copies of court records cost $5.00 per page, $0.50 for additional pages, and $5.00 for certification per page. All requests should be mailed to:

Shelby County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051.

Shelby County District Court Records

The Shelby County District Civil Division handles various civil cases on the district level including evictions, ordinance violations, misdemeanor cases, and unlawful detainers. The district court also handles civil case matters with less than a $10,000 fee, excluding interest and costs. One may also access small claim filings through the district court at a maximum of $6,000. Requesters can access district court case records through the Shelby County Circuit Clerk’s Office.

Shelby County Criminal Records

Criminal history is only available to the record subject and authorized individuals. The Alabama Department of Law Enforcement maintains criminal history records in Shelby County. Individuals can access and obtain a copy of criminal records for background checks by completing an ALEA application form. The requester must make a $25.00 money order or cashier's check to the ALEA, Criminal Records, and Identification Unit.

The complete application form, payment, and identification document in an envelope must be sent to:

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)
Criminal Records and Identification Unit
ATTN: Background Checks
P.O. Box 1511
Montgomery, Alabama 36102-1511.

Detailed information about a person's arrest and crime is accessible through the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Inmate Listing. However, Shelby County arrest records are not the same as criminal records in the county. An arrest record only proves that the Sheriff’s office took an individual into custody for a suspected crime. There is no record of conviction or incarceration for the suspected offense.

The inmate listing displays information such as the arrestee's inmate number, name, booking date, charge description, and bond type/ amount. Note that access to these records may be limited to authorized requesters following the law.

Shelby County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Individuals may perform a Shelby County Criminal Court Case look-up in person at the Shelby County Judicial System office. Interested persons may also visit the Shelby County Circuit Court website to request copies of criminal case records. One may only need to provide the name of the party and other identification information to search.

Get Shelby County Civil Court Records

Civil Court Records in Shelby County, Alabama are generated from an action between parties seeking legal recourse or settlement in a dispute. The Shelby County Civil Court Division handles various types of civil cases that exceed $20,000, not including interest and costs. This division is also in charge of hearing cases from any court requests involved in the jurisdiction of Municipal, Probate, and District Courts. The Circuit Court Clerk keeps and manages all civil court case records in the county.

Shelby County Family Court Records

In Shelby County, the Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court handles family court cases. These cases include divorce, child adoption and custody, visitation, paternity, spousal and child support, alimony, domestic violence, cases relating to wills, trusts, domestic financial rights, and other family-based legal issues.

All requests for Shelby County family court records may be directed to the Domestic Relations Court clerk's office. Records containing parental rights and the personal or contact information of a juvenile are confidential and not available to requestors unless it is authorized.

If the address to make a request is a post office box, the papers may be served through certified mail. The record request must contain a cheque or money order payment of applicable fees, a copy of the requestor's government-issued photo ID, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Ensure that the Clerk's address is the same as the return address:

Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051.

The certified mail fee is for restricted delivery at $16.18 plus $0.24 per page. Requesters can also access family court records using the Just One Look AlaCourt tool with the Alabama Judicial System. With this system, requesters may access family court case information without a subscription. An online search is complete using the case number of the record or the name of the parties involved. However, requesters must pay a nominal fee of $9.99 per name and case number search or $5 per image search.

Shelby Dissolution of Marriage Records

Shelby County's dissolution of marriage records are also known as divorce records under the maintenance of the court of jurisdiction. These records are legal proof that a marriage has come to an end. Most often, a dissolution of marriage record is also part of family court records making it obtainable at the domestic relations circuit courthouse.

The Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court primarily handles divorces filed in the county. All requests for Shelby County divorce records can be sent to the Domestic Relations Court clerk's office. Once the certificate is signed and notarized it must be filed with Shelby County Probate Court within 30 days.

Shelby County Marriage and Divorce Records

All requests for marriage and divorce certificates can be made in person or via mail to the Alabama Public Health Department, Vital Records Office. The Center for Health Statistics issues certified copies of Shelby County vital records including birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. Following Alabama law, marriage and divorce certificates are accessible to anyone who can provide enough information to search for the record and complete the payment fee.

The individual must provide the following information when making an in-person request:

• Full names before the first marriage of both spouses
• Date of divorce
• County where the divorce was filed
• Requester's name, signature, and contact number
• The address where the certificate is to be mailed.

All application requests can be made using the mail-in application form. Requestors are charged $15 per record request and an additional $6 for copies. Both in-person and mail requests must be sent to:

Alabama Vital Records
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103–5625.

Shelby Birth and Death Records

Shelby County birth and death records are vital records maintained by the Alabama Public Health Department. Shelby County death certificates can be used to obtain life insurance payments and to guarantee the right to inherit property from a deceased relative in judicial processes. Also, a Shelby County birth certificate serves as proof of age. It is required when applying for a passport, opening a bank account, enrolling in school, or claiming social security benefits.

Individuals can access these records online using the application for a Birth, Death, Marriage, or Divorce Certificate. However, only the following persons are eligible when payment of the fee is made:

• The named person on the certificate
• Mother, father, or legal guardian
• Partner of the person named on the certificate
• Child of the person named on the certificate
• Sibling of the person named on the certificate
• The legal representative of an authorized person.

The requester must provide the following information when making an in-person request:

• Full name of the person at birth
• Date of birth, sex, and city of birth
• Hospital of birth (needed if it is not in a state hospital)
• Full name of mother/parent before first marriage
• Full name of father/parent before first marriage
• Requester's name, signature, and contact number
• Requester's relationship to the person whose certificate is requested
• Mailing address of the certificate.

All Shelby County birth and death certificates are available for eligible applicants at $15 per record. Additional copies of a birth record cost $6 per document and must be requested at the same time as the original application. Mail requests may be sent along with the appropriate fee to:

Alabama Department of Public Health
Center for Health Statistics
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5625.

Shelby County Probate Court Records

Shelby County Probate Court has jurisdiction over probate matters such as the issuance of wills and administration of estates. The probate process determines a person's heirs either by their last will or testament to ease the process for creditors to be paid from a person's estate. It also helps to determine that there are no creditors by settling and distributing the deceased person's estate according to probate law in Alabama. The Probate judge also handles conservatorships and guardianships.

The probable court judge provides online access to the records that the office maintains through the Recording Room Records Search tool. It contains the official repository of records including index books and documents recorded as electronic images. To conduct a thorough title search for mortgages, visit the probate court in person:

Shelby County Probate Office
112 North Main Street, Room A101
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 670-5220

Shelby County Property Records

Shelby County Property records typically contain information about the property, its ownership, and other transactions. It also includes deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property-related documents. According to the Public Record Act, these records are accessible to the public.

The Shelby County Property Tax Commissioner's Office is responsible for keeping real property records in the county. Individuals can visit any of the offices in person to obtain property records. The office is open from Monday to Friday within the working hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Property Tax Commissioner
102 Depot Street
Columbiana AL 35051
Phone: (205) 670-6900

The Property Tax Commissioner's Office in Shelby County also provides a public property search tool. However, the requester must provide details about the property such as the address or parcel number to complete the search process.

Furthermore, the County Clerk's office provides a real estate validation form, a legal document that validates a real estate sale in the county. It serves as proof that a real property was successfully sold and purchased.

Shelby County Court Records Online

It is possible to find court case information in Shelby County through third-party public records search websites. Sites like alabamacourtrecords.us are available for researchers to access court cases for personal or business purposes. Such websites have little or no geographical restrictions, so one can access court case information from various agencies and courts in Alabama.

Using the services or search tools from these sites may not be free, as requesters may be charged a fee per copy or search. Some third-party sites may also offer subscription packages at a fixed price and for a duration. However, not all information provided on third-party search websites is accurate, and the requester may need to conduct further research.