Chilton County Court Records Search
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Chilton County, Alabama, occupies the geographic center of the state, with Clanton serving as the county seat and home to the county’s principal courthouse. The county’s court system handles a broad range of legal matters — from felony prosecutions and civil disputes to estate administration and vital records — all generating an ongoing body of official documentation governed by Alabama’s public records framework. Whether you are verifying a judgment, tracing a family matter through court files, or conducting a background check, understanding the structure of Chilton County’s courts and the offices that maintain their records is the practical first step.
Court records in Alabama can be located through several channels: direct contact with clerk offices, in-person inspection at the courthouse, and online tools. AlabamaCourts.us provides a starting point for locating publicly available court case information across Alabama’s judicial system. The state also operates a statewide public access portal for trial court records, described in more detail below.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Chilton County?
Chilton County’s courts sit within the 19th Judicial Circuit of Alabama, and the bulk of court-level records are managed through the Circuit Clerk’s Office under Circuit Clerk Nick Burnett. The courthouse serves as the hub for most record requests, housing both the Circuit and District Courts.
Chilton County Circuit Court & District Court
Address: 500 2nd Avenue N, Clanton, AL 35045
Mailing: P.O. Box 1946, Clanton, AL 35046
Phone: (205) 755-4275 | General: (205) 755-1551
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Clerk’s Office open until 4:30 p.m.; other county offices close at 4:00 p.m.)
The Circuit Clerk’s Office is divided into ten operational divisions, each staffed by a dedicated clerk. Knowing which division applies to a case helps direct records requests efficiently:
| Division | Clerk | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Civil | Jessie Boggs | (205) 755-4275, option 4 |
| Circuit Criminal | Jill Jackson | (205) 755-4275, option 2 |
| District Criminal | Brittany Arrington | (205) 755-4275, option 1 |
| Small Claims & District Civil | Monica Hallman | (205) 755-4275, option 3 |
| Divorce | Jessie Boggs | (205) 755-4275, option 5 |
| Juvenile | Michelle Hernandez | (205) 755-4275, option 6 |
| DHR Child Support | Jenah Smitherman | (205) 755-4275, option 5 |
| Traffic Court | Kelsey Ramsey | (205) 755-4275, option 5 |
Online Case Search — Alacourt ACCESS
The Alabama Administrative Office of Courts operates Alacourt ACCESS, the statewide on-demand portal for public access to trial court records. The system covers criminal, civil, small claims, traffic, domestic relations, and child support records across all Alabama trial courts, including Chilton County. Users can search by name or case number. Pricing for searches is as follows:
- Name Search: $9.99
- Case Number Search: $9.99
- Document Images: $5.00 for the first 20 pages; $0.50 per page thereafter
Registration is required to use the portal. The system returns court setting dates, case action summaries, party information, financial details, and document images where available. Traffic ticket and district criminal case fines can also be paid online through Alabama’s payment portal.
Court forms for self-represented litigants are available through alacourt.gov and the Alabama legal help platform at legalhelp.org.
Are Court Records Public in Chilton County?
Alabama’s public records framework is grounded in Section 36-12-40 of the Alabama Code, which grants every citizen the right to inspect and copy public writings held by state and county offices. Court records in Chilton County fall within this framework as a matter of longstanding statutory and judicial interpretation — Alabama law expressly provides that judicial records are public.
However, several categories of records are restricted from general public access under Alabama law. Records that may be sealed, redacted, or withheld include:
- Juvenile court records and case files
- Adoption records
- Confidential mental health commitment records
- Privileged attorney-client communications
- Medical records, student records, and personnel files
- Investigatory documents from active law enforcement investigations
- Trade secret information
- Records sealed by specific court order
All public records requests directed to Chilton County government offices — including the County Commission — must be submitted using the Commission’s Standard Public Records Request Form, available through the county’s official public records page. Requests must be made in writing. The Circuit Clerk’s Office is separately accessible during regular business hours for court-specific records.
Chilton County Criminal Court Records
Criminal proceedings in Chilton County are divided between two courts based on offense level. Felony matters are heard by the Chilton County Circuit Court, while misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, and preliminary felony hearings fall under the Chilton County District Court. Both courts share the same courthouse address and Circuit Clerk’s Office.
Obtaining Criminal Court Records
Records from both the Circuit and District Courts are maintained by the Circuit Clerk’s Office at 500 2nd Avenue N. Requesters may:
- Visit the Clerk’s Office in person during business hours (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., weekdays)
- Submit a written mail request with case-identifying information to P.O. Box 1946, Clanton, AL 35046
- Search online via the Alacourt ACCESS portal using a name or case number
For in-person or mail requests, provide as much identifying information as possible — full name, approximate case filing year, and case number if known.
Arrest Records and Sheriff’s Office
Arrest records are maintained by the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office, separate from court filings. The Sheriff’s Office publishes a current inmate roster online, showing individuals held at the Chilton County Detention Center along with booking details, charges, and bond information. Public records requests to the Sheriff’s Office must be submitted using its specific Public Records Request Form and hand-delivered to the office; telephone or fax requests are not accepted.
Sheriff’s Office Contact: (205) 755-4698
County Jail: (205) 755-1053
Drug Court and Probation
Chilton County also operates a Drug Court program, reachable at (205) 755-4242. The Adult Probation Office can be contacted at (205) 280-0914, and Juvenile Probation/Youth Services at (205) 755-0720.
Chilton County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Chilton County is handled at two levels. The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over civil claims exceeding the district court threshold, along with equity matters and appeals from lower courts. The District Court handles lower-value civil claims, and small claims matters are processed through the District Court’s Small Claims Division.
Civil Record Access
All civil case records — complaints, judgments, motions, and orders — are maintained by the Circuit Clerk’s Office. Requesters can reach the Civil Division clerk directly at (205) 755-4275, option 4, or the Small Claims and District Civil Division at option 3.
Access options:
- In-person: Visit the courthouse at 500 2nd Avenue N during business hours
- Mail: Send written requests to P.O. Box 1946, Clanton, AL 35046
- Online: Use Alacourt ACCESS with a name or case number search
Property Records
Land records, deeds, liens, mortgages, UCC filings, and real estate instruments are recorded and maintained by the Chilton County Probate Office, which serves as the county’s official recorder of deeds. Recording fees are $17.25 for the first page and $3.00 for each additional page. The Probate Office provides online access to land records through Chilton County Online Services, where users can search land records and probate case records. An account is required for full access; the portal also allows recording logins for registered submitters. Questions regarding online land records can be directed to probate@chiltoncounty.org or (205) 755-1555.
The county’s Public Records portal also links to the Find and Order Deeds online resource for property document retrieval.
Chilton County Family Court Records
Family-related court proceedings in Chilton County are distributed across several divisions of the Circuit Clerk’s Office. Divorce and domestic cases are handled by the Divorce Division (Clerk Jessie Boggs, option 5), child support matters by the DHR Child Support Division (Clerk Jenah Smitherman, option 5), and juvenile cases by the Juvenile Division (Clerk Michelle Hernandez, option 6).
Divorce Records
Dissolution of marriage records are maintained jointly by the Circuit Clerk’s Office and the Alabama Department of Public Health. The Circuit Clerk holds the full case file — including the divorce decree — while ADPH issues certified verification records. Certified copies of divorce records are restricted to the parties to the divorce, their immediate family members, and authorized legal representatives. Non-certified copies are accessible to the general public.
Requests may be submitted in person or by mail to the Clerk’s Office. Certified divorce verifications may also be requested through the Chilton County Health Department at (205) 755-1287.
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses are issued and recorded by the Chilton County Probate Office. A marriage license in Chilton County costs $78.25. Certified copies of marriage certificates are restricted to the spouses, their immediate family, and legal representatives, while non-certified copies are publicly accessible. Requests can be submitted in person at the Probate Office or by mail, and the Alabama Vital Records Application available through the Department of Public Health can also be used to request marriage records from the local health department.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death records for Chilton County are maintained by both the Probate Court and the Alabama Department of Public Health. Certified copies of birth certificates carry a search fee of $15.00, which includes one certified copy or a Certificate of Failure to Find; each additional certified copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $6.00. Death certificate fees follow the same structure: $15.00 for the first certified copy and $6.00 for additional copies.
Access to certified copies is restricted to the registrant (if of legal age), parents, immediate family members, legal guardians, legal representatives, and in some cases genealogical researchers. Non-certified copies are generally available to the public. The Chilton County Health Department at (205) 755-1287 processes in-person and mail requests using the ADPH vital records application form.
Municipal Courts
Chilton County’s four municipal courts handle traffic and misdemeanor matters arising within their respective city limits. These courts maintain their own records separately from the Circuit Clerk’s Office:
Clanton Municipal Court
601 1st Avenue, P.O. Box 580, Clanton, AL 35046
Phone: (205) 755-1194, ext. 2
Jemison Municipal Court
14 Padgett Lane, Jemison, AL 35085
Phone: (205) 688-4492 | Fax: (205) 688-1109
Maplesville Municipal Court
9400 AL Highway 22, P.O. Box 9, Maplesville, AL 36750
Phone: (334) 366-4211 | Fax: (334) 366-4210
Thorsby Municipal Court
12 Minnesota Avenue, Thorsby, AL 35171
Phone: (205) 646-3575 | Fax: (205) 646-2414
Chilton County Probate Court Records
The Chilton County Probate Court, presided over by Judge Jason L. Calhoun, handles estate administration, wills, guardianships, adoptions, mental health commitments, real property recording, name changes, and vital records corrections. It is a distinct court from the Circuit and District Courts and maintains its own records office.
Chilton County Probate Office
Physical Address: 53 Robert Threlkeld Parkway, Clanton, AL 35045
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 270, Clanton, AL 35046
Phone: (205) 755-1555 | Fax: (205) 280-7219
Chief Clerk: Shannon Brown — shannon@chiltoncounty.org
General Email: probate@chiltoncounty.org
Searching Probate Records
Probate case records and land records are publicly searchable through the Chilton County Online Services portal maintained by the Probate Office. The system allows users to look up both land records and probate case records by name or document reference. In-person access is also available at the Probate Office, which provides four public access stations in its vault room for record inspection. Records related to tax assessor data have a separate station in the Tax Assessor’s vault.
Estate Administration
The Probate Court administers decedents’ estates through both formal supervised processes and more streamlined unsupervised administration, depending on the estate’s complexity and whether disputes exist among heirs. The court also handles guardianships of minors and incapacitated adults, conservatorships, and trust matters. Adoption proceedings and vital records corrections — such as amendments to birth or death certificates — are also filed with this court.
Probate records are generally public unless sealed by court order. In-person requests can be made at the Probate Office during business hours, and mail requests should be directed to P.O. Box 270, Clanton, AL 35046. For questions about specific proceedings or filing requirements, contact the Chief Clerk’s Office at (205) 755-1555.