Fairhope Municipal Court

Fairhope Municipal Court cases in Baldwin County, Fairhope, AL

Fairhope Municipal Court is a municipal court for the City of Fairhope, Alabama. It has limited jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances and certain state-law misdemeanors adopted by ordinance that occur within the city limits or the city's police jurisdiction. The court primarily handles criminal misdemeanor matters and traffic cases, including DUI, speeding, driver's license/insurance violations, parking citations, and other municipal code violations (such as noise or animal-control offenses). It does not hear felony charges, civil disputes, or family law matters; those are handled by the Baldwin County District or Circuit Courts. Judgments of the municipal court are subject to the penalty limits set by law, and appeals are taken to the Baldwin County Circuit Court for a trial de novo.

Fairhope Municipal Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Fairhope Municipal Court

Fairhope Municipal Court serves the public by processing and adjudicating violations of city ordinances-primarily traffic and other misdemeanor offenses occurring within city limits.

Services include:
- Case filings and magistrate services: accepting complaints for ordinance violations, issuing warrants/summons, setting bonds, subpoenas, and processing fines and payment plans.
- Court hearings: arraignments, bench trials, pleas, probation/compliance reviews, and show-cause hearings; appeals proceed de novo to Baldwin County Circuit Court.
- Records and administration: continuance requests, certified copies, restitution processing, and compliance reporting (e.g., defensive-driving completion).
- Victim/witness support: notices, restitution orders, and no-contact conditions where authorized.

Not handled: protection-from-abuse (protective) orders and most felony matters-file with Baldwin County Circuit or District Court. Jury services and jury trials are not conducted in municipal court; juries are managed by the Baldwin County Circuit Court.