| Circuit Clerk | Montgomery County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Circuit Clerk: Phelps-Price Justice Center, 251 S Lawrence St, Montgomery, AL 36104 (mail: P.O. Box 1667, Montgomery, AL 36102-1667) |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (334) 832-1260 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Probate records: $1.00 per page (Code of Alabama § 12-19-90). Circuit/district clerk copies: set by directive of the Administrative Director of Courts under Rule 30, Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration; confirm with the clerk |
| Certified copy fee | Probate records: $3.00 per document (certificate with seal) in addition to the per-page copy charge. Circuit/district clerk certification: confirm with the clerk |
Montgomery County's trial courts are the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, housed at the Phelps-Price Justice Center on South Lawrence Street. The Montgomery County Circuit Clerk keeps records for circuit and district court across divisions covering contract disputes, civil torts, condemnations, workers' compensation, domestic relations, child support, juvenile matters, and criminal cases.
The Judge of Probate is a separate elected office that handles estates, wills, adoptions, conservatorships, guardianships, business licenses, marriage recording, and elections, in addition to vehicle registration — administrative functions state law assigns to probate judges in Alabama.
For online case searching, the Circuit Clerk's site links to a docket-viewing tool and to alacourt.gov for statewide access; a full case-detail search and document images require Just One Look or an Alacourt.com subscription.
Search Montgomery County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Montgomery County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Docket viewing is free; Alacourt/Just One Look search and copy fees apply for case detail
- Coverage
- Circuit- and district-court civil, criminal, domestic relations, child support, and juvenile matters for Montgomery County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
The office maintains four divisions and links to E-Forms and a docket-viewing tool; full case detail comes through Just One Look or Alacourt.com.
Other courts
Montgomery County Probate Court
- Cost
- Free to search office information; recording and copy fees apply
- Coverage
- Wills, estates, adoptions, conservatorships, guardianships, and recorded documents for Montgomery County
- Records
- Probate
Confirmed via web search of the official montgomeryprobatecourtal.gov domain; the page returned a 403 to automated verification, so treat this listing as unverified until checked manually.
What is available online
The Circuit Clerk's site provides a docket-viewing link and E-Forms rather than a free full case search; use Just One Look or Alacourt.com for case detail and document images. The Probate Court's own site covers estate, adoption, and recorded-document services separately.
Which clerk has your record
In Alabama, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Alabama page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (41 judicial circuits) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other domestic-relations cases; Civil cases exceeding $10,000 (and $3,000–$10,000 by discretion) | Circuit Clerk of the county |
| District Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases and preliminary felony hearings; Civil cases between $3,000 and $10,000; Small claims up to $6,000 | Circuit Clerk of the county |
| Probate Courts | Wills and estate administration; Guardianships and conservatorships; Adoptions | Judge of Probate of the county |
| Municipal Courts | Municipal ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued within city limits; Class C misdemeanors when tried by the city | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Montgomery County clerk offices
Circuit Clerk: Phelps-Price Justice Center, 251 S Lawrence St, Montgomery, AL 36104 (mail: P.O. Box 1667, Montgomery, AL 36102-1667)
Phone: Circuit Clerk (334) 832-1260
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday
Circuit- and district-court records. Visit the Circuit Clerk at the Phelps-Price Justice Center (251 S Lawrence St) or mail a request to P.O. Box 1667, Montgomery, AL 36102-1667, including the case number, the documents needed, and whether certified copies are required. Online case searches go through Just One Look or Alacourt.com.
Probate records. Contact the Montgomery County Probate Court for wills, estates, adoptions, guardianships, and conservatorships; the probate judge's office also handles marriage recording and vehicle registration.
Probate contact details. The Probate Court's website blocks automated verification, so its phone number and hours are not listed here; use the site's contact page or call the courthouse switchboard before visiting.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Alabama |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Probate records: $1.00 per page (Code of Alabama § 12-19-90). Circuit/district clerk copies: set by directive of the Administrative Director of Courts under Rule 30, Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration; confirm with the clerk |
| Certified copy | Probate records: $3.00 per document (certificate with seal) in addition to the per-page copy charge. Circuit/district clerk certification: confirm with the clerk |
Probate judges charge the statutory schedule in Code of Alabama § 12-19-90 — $1.00 per page for a copy of an instrument and $3.00 for each certificate with seal — which county probate offices such as Shelby, Lee, and Tuscaloosa reproduce on their posted fee sheets. Circuit clerks are governed instead by Rule 30 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration, which says copy costs "shall be established by directive of the Administrative Director of Courts" and lets clerks charge for record searches; no statewide amount is published online, and court files remain free to inspect at the clerk's office. Parties and their attorneys may receive copies free at the clerk's discretion.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Alabama court records are presumed open under the state's public-records law, Code of Alabama § 36-12-40, but several categories are restricted or excluded from any public search:
The Alabama guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up a case at the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk?
The clerk's site links to a docket-viewing tool for basic case information, but full case detail and document images require Just One Look ($9.99 per search) or an Alacourt.com subscription.
Who handles wills and estates in Montgomery County?
The Montgomery County Probate Court, a separate office from the Circuit Clerk. It also handles adoptions, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage recording, and vehicle registration.
Where do I mail a records request to the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk?
P.O. Box 1667, Montgomery, AL 36102-1667. Include the case number or party names and year, the documents you need, and payment or a request for a fee quote.
Are Montgomery County juvenile records public?
No. Juvenile matters handled by the Circuit Clerk are confidential and are excluded from Just One Look, Alacourt.com, and the clerk's docket-viewing tool.
Sources
- Montgomery County Circuit Clerk (Fifteenth Judicial Circuit) — https://montgomery.alacourt.gov/
- Montgomery County Probate Court — https://www.montgomeryprobatecourtal.gov/
- Alabama Secretary of State — Montgomery County Circuit Clerk — https://www.sos.alabama.gov/node/1214
- Alabama Administrative Office of Courts — https://www.alacourt.gov/
- Alabama Judicial System — Judicial System Chart — https://judicial.alabama.gov/Appellate/JudicialSystemChart
- Alacourt ACCESS ("Just One Look") — https://pa.alacourt.com/
- Alacourt.com 2.0 (subscription service) — https://v2.alacourt.com/
- ALEA Alabama Background Check Program — https://www.alea.gov/sbi/criminal-justice-services/criminal-records/alabama-background-check
- Alabama Appellate Courts Public Portal — https://publicportal.alappeals.gov/
- Alabama Rules of Court-Record Privacy and Confidentiality — https://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/rules/RulesPrivacyConfidentiality.pdf
- Code of Alabama, Title 15, Chapter 27 — Expungement — https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-15/chapter-27/section-15-27-1/
- Code of Alabama, Title 36, Chapter 12, Article 3 — Public Writings — https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-36/chapter-12/article-3/section-36-12-40/
- Code of Alabama, Title 12, Chapter 19 — Court Finances — https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-12/chapter-19/article-3/division-2/section-12-19-71/
- Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration, Rule 30 — Copies, certified copies; cost for copies — https://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/rules/ja30.pdf
- Shelby County Probate — Public Fee Schedule (Code of Alabama § 12-19-90) — https://www.shelbyal.com/DocumentCenter/View/892/Probate-Public-Fees
- Lee County Probate Recording — Fees — https://www.leeco.us/government/probate_judge/recording/fees.php
See also: all Alabama counties.