Colbert County
Colbert County was established in 1867 and is part of an Alabama metropolitan area known as “The Shoals." Before this, it was home to the Chickasaw and Cherokee tribes and was named after a Chickasaw chief. The county has about six major municipalities and several other unincorporated areas. Its seat is in Tuscumbia, home of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. More than 57,227 people live within its borders.
Colbert County has a Circuit Court, District Court, Probate Court, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court is the county's highest jurisdiction court. It typically hears felonies, misdemeanors, and general civil claims with a monetary value greater than $10,000. Family law matters, such as adoptions, child support and custody, alimony, and divorces, are heard by the Circuit Court. The District Court performs preliminary hearings for most felonies and hears certain misdemeanors and infractions of lesser severity. It also manages general civil claims, where the amount of controversy is between $3,000 and $10,000. The Probate Court has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, trusts, administration of estates, mental health commitments, guardianships, and name changes. The Municipal Court has locations in Cherokee, Leighton, Littleville, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. This court handles cases involving violations of municipal and city ordinances.
Public court records are official documents that emanate from court proceedings of cases heard in the county. They typically include case details, the names of the parties involved, filing and hearing dates, legal motions, evidence submitted by the parties, and the court's final judgments and orders. The Colbert County Circuit Clerk is the official responsible for managing, updating, and processing these court records. The public court records include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Family law records
- Probate records
- Property records
Per provisions of the Alabama Open Records Act, these court records must be made accessible to any interested member of the public. Interested individuals may obtain the court records by sending an e-mail or by visiting the Clerk's office at:
Colbert County Courthouse
201 North Main Street
Tuscumbia, AL 35674
Phone: (256) 386-8511
Individuals who cannot visit the clerk's office in person may also access the records online via the Alabama Judicial System's Public Access Portal. Requesters may search the portal using search criteria such as the names of the parties involved and the case number.
The Colbert County Circuit Clerk's office typically charges requesters who seek to obtain copies of court records a $1 fee per page. Where the requester requires that the court record be certified, an additional $2 fee applies.
