Shelby County
Shelby County, named after the Revolutionary War veteran Isaac Shelby, is located in central Alabama and was established in 1818. The county has a land area of 785 square miles and is home to 223,024 residents. The county seat is Columbiana, while the most populous city is the City of Alabaster.
Shelby County's trial courts include the Circuit, District, Probate, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court, also the 18th Judicial Circuit of Alabama, has general jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil disputes exceeding $10,000, and family law matters like divorce and child custody. This court handles cases that the other courts have no jurisdiction over.
Meanwhile, the District Court handles civil cases involving $10,000 or less, misdemeanors, small claims disputes involving $3000 or less, and traffic violations. The Probate Court oversees cases involving wills, estates, and guardianships. Shelby County has Municipal Courts in Columbiana, Alabaster, and other major cities. Municipal Court judges preside over ordinance violations, juvenile cases, and civil violations.
Shelby County public court records are legal documents created during court proceedings and made available to all interested persons. These records include filings, dockets, complaints, judgments, and orders. Per Alabama Code § 36-12-40, members of the public can access court records such as:
- Traffic records
- Land records
- Civil records
- Criminal court records
- Family law records
- Probate records
Certain records are not accessible to the general public to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Such records include banking details, juvenile court files, and probation reports. Individuals interested in obtaining public court records can contact the Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk by phone or in person at:
Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk
112 North Main Street
PO Box 1810
Columbiana, AL 35051
Phone: (205) 669-3760
An alternative way to find Shelby County court records is via the Alacourt ACCESS V2.0 tool. Performing name or case number searches on the portal costs $9.99 per search. Users may also subscribe to monitor Circuit and District cases on the state's online tool.
