Dallas County, Alabama Court Records
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Dallas County, Alabama sits in the Black Belt region of the state, with Selma serving as the county seat and the center of all judicial activity. Whether you're looking for records related to a background check, an active legal matter, an estate dispute, or a historical inquiry, knowing how the local court system is organized — and where each type of record lives — will save you a trip downtown or an incomplete records request. Dallas County courts handle everything from small civil disputes to felony prosecutions, domestic relations matters, and the administration of decedent estates, and each type of proceeding generates records maintained by different offices with different access rules.
Alabama residents can explore publicly available case information through AlabamaCourts.us, though for Dallas County specifically, the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts maintains the state's primary case management and filing systems. You can locate publicly available records through official clerk offices, public-access computer terminals at the courthouse, or through the Alabama Judicial System's online portal, commonly known as Alacourt. These tools complement — but don't replace — the county clerk offices that physically hold the underlying documents.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Dallas County?
The most direct way to find a Dallas County court case is through the Dallas County Circuit Clerk's website, which serves the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Alabama. The site provides procedural information, fee schedules, and links to the electronic filing system. The Clerk's Office is the primary keeper of circuit and district court records and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Note that the office is closed to the public every Wednesday.
Dallas County Circuit Court / District Court (Circuit Clerk's Office)
Address: Dallas County Courthouse, 105 Lauderdale Street, P.O. Box 1148, Selma, AL 36701
Phone: (334) 874-2523
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Wednesdays)
You can conduct in-person searches at the Clerk's Office or use the public-access computer stations in the courthouse lobby. For remote searches, Alacourt offers online access to case information, though some documents may require a subscription or may be restricted from general access.
Attorneys and pro se litigants can register with AlaFile to receive electronic notices and file documents electronically. Pro se litigants must complete registration in person at the Clerk's Office during normal business hours, presenting a state-issued photo ID after printing the completed online registration form.
For standard document copy requests, the fee schedule is:
- Certified copies: $1.00 per page + $5.00 certification fee
- Plain/non-certified copies: $1.00 per page
- Exemplified copies: $1.00 per page
Mail requests are accepted. Include a completed request form, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by money order (no out-of-state personal checks). Court forms are available on the Alabama eforms portal.
Are Court Records Public in Dallas County?
The overwhelming majority of court records generated in Dallas County are open to the public. Alabama's public records framework — codified at Alabama Code § 36-12-40 — gives every citizen the right to inspect and obtain copies of public writings, including judicial records, subject to specific exceptions. Rule 30 of the Alabama Rules for Judicial Administration specifically governs access to court records across all Alabama courts, including Dallas County, and requires every court clerk to make records available for public inspection.
Certain categories of records are confidential and not available to the public:
- Juror personal information, protected to preserve the integrity of the jury system
- Child abuse and neglect court records, withheld to protect minor victims
- Records relating to ongoing criminal investigations, which could compromise law enforcement efforts if disclosed prematurely
- Personal identifying information of sexual abuse victims, protected under Alabama victim privacy statutes
- Juvenile arrest records, generally sealed under Alabama law to protect minors from long-term consequences of youthful offenses
A court may also seal individual records by court order when circumstances warrant confidentiality beyond these statutory categories. In such cases, even the existence of the record may not be publicly acknowledged. If you believe a records request has been improperly denied, you can pursue remedies under the Alabama Public Records Act, which is enforced through the courts.
Dallas County Criminal Court Records
Felony prosecutions in Dallas County are the exclusive province of the Dallas County Circuit Court. The Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all felony matters — from Class A felonies down to Class C felonies — as well as cases appealed from the District Court or Municipal Court. Misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings on felony charges are handled at the District Court level in the same courthouse building.
Start your search for criminal court records at the Dallas County Circuit Clerk's Office, which maintains filings, charging documents, dockets, sentencing orders, and judgment records for circuit and district criminal cases. If you're visiting in person, public-access terminals in the courthouse lobby let you search records without submitting a formal request.
Criminal history information — which covers arrest records, conviction history, and probation records — is a separate category from court records. Arrest and custody information falls under the authority of the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, which patrols nearly 980 square miles of the county and manages the county jail.
Dallas County Sheriff's Department
Address: 102 Church Street, Selma, AL 36702
Phone: (334) 874-2530
Fax: (334) 874-2563
Email: dallascoso@dallascounty-al.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
The Sheriff's Office serves arrest warrants, restraining orders, and process documents for the District and Probate Courts. It also manages county jail records and provides inmate and booking information. For broader criminal history background checks, the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center administers statewide criminal history repositories accessible to authorized requestors. If you need to file an expungement petition, it goes to the Circuit Court; the filing fee is $300.00.
Dallas County Civil Court Records
Civil matters in Dallas County are divided across court levels depending on the amount in dispute:
| Court | Jurisdiction | Filing Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Small Claims (District) | Up to $6,000 | $61.00–$224.00 |
| District Civil | $6,001–$10,000 | $256.00 |
| Circuit Civil | Up to $50,000 | $255.00 |
| Circuit Civil | Over $50,000 | $355.00 |
| Circuit Civil (amendment, lower to upper) | $100.00 |
Small Claims Court is an informal proceeding before a judge — no jury — designed for individuals and businesses resolving monetary disputes without necessarily needing an attorney. Any individual 19 or older, partnership, or corporation may file. Use the Statement of Claim (Complaint) form SM-01, filed at the District Court division of the Clerk's Office or downloaded from the Alabama eforms portal. Filing fees are non-refundable. Defendants have 14 calendar days after service to file an answer; if they don't respond within that window, the plaintiff can seek a default judgment.
Additional civil case fees include:
- Civil jury demand: $100.00
- Civil subpoenas: $12.00 each
- Attachment, garnishment, or execution: $30.00
- Pre-judgment writ of seizure: $9.00
- Counter claim, cross claim, or third-party complaint: $297.00
- Motion for summary judgment or default judgment: $50.00
For cases requiring service by certified mail, the current certified mail restricted delivery fee is $11.74 for one ounce, plus $0.20 per additional ounce.
All civil court forms — including default request forms, affidavit of substantial hardship, and judgment collection tools — are available at no charge on the Alabama eforms portal. If you cannot afford to prepay filing fees, you may submit an Affidavit of Substantial Hardship requesting that costs be taxed at the conclusion of the case.
Dallas County Family Court Records
The Dallas County Circuit Court handles all domestic relations filings, including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, alimony, and domestic violence protective orders. The domestic relations division creates and maintains records for each of these proceedings.
Filing fee for domestic relations original filing: $203.00
Domestic relations modification or enforcement: $306.00
Dallas County divorce records are unrestricted under Alabama law and are accessible through the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. To request records by mail, send a completed request form, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a $10.00 money order payable to the Dallas County Circuit Clerk. In-person requests may be paid with cash or money order.
Marriage records are maintained by two separate offices. The Dallas County Department of Health holds a marriage records database dating back to 1936, and the Circuit Court Clerk also maintains marriage-related documents. Marriage certificates are public records — anyone with sufficient identifying information about a marriage can request a copy by submitting a records request form and paying a $15.00 search fee to the Health Department.
Birth and death records are maintained exclusively by the Dallas County Health Department and are not held by the courts.
Dallas County Health Department (Vital Records)
Address: 100 Samuel O. Moseley Drive, Selma, Alabama 36701
Phone: (334) 874-2550
Birth certificates are restricted documents, accessible only to the individual named, their immediate relatives, or a legal representative for 125 years after the date of birth. Certified copies cost $15.00 for a search (including one certified copy), with additional copies at $6.00 each when ordered at the same time. Expedited requests carry an additional $15.00 fee. Death records become public after 25 years; before that threshold, they are restricted to close relatives and individuals who can demonstrate a legitimate legal interest. A vital records request form is available on the Alabama Department of Public Health website.
The Dallas County Probate Court also handles adoptions and guardianships, which are considered family matters; those procedures are covered in the probate section below.
Dallas County Probate Court Records
The Dallas County Probate Court operates separately from the Circuit and District Courts. Presiding Judge Jimmy Nunn oversees all probate matters, including wills and estate administration, conservatorships, guardianships, adoptions, name changes, declaration of legitimation, and involuntary commitments. The Probate Court shares the same courthouse building with the Circuit and District Courts.
Dallas County Probate Court
Address: 105 Lauderdale Street, P.O. Box 987, Selma, AL 36702
Phone: (334) 876-4830
Fax: (334) 874-2553
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Email: jnunn@dallascounty-al.org
Probate records are not universally public. Unlike most Circuit Court filings, probate records are treated as confidential documents accessible only to:
- Persons named on the relevant documents (e.g., heirs, beneficiaries, named guardians)
- Parties with a demonstrated tangible legal interest in the records
- Attorneys representing any of the above
To request probate records in person, complete a request form at the Probate Court office and present a valid government-issued photo ID. Mail requests are also accepted at the P.O. Box address above, and the Probate Court Clerk may also be contacted directly by email.
The Probate Court's Recording Office manages real estate records and document recording as a function separate from the court's judicial work. This office maintains deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, plats, powers of attorney, and incorporation documents. E-recording is available through Simplifile for those submitting real estate documents remotely. Property records, including tax assessment data and ownership history, can also be obtained through the tax assessor's office. You can submit property records requests in person, by mail, or by email to recording@dallascounty-al.org, and you can review specific property records at computer terminals inside the Recorder's Office without a formal request.
Land and probate case records can be searched online through the Dallas County probate records search, which provides remote access to indexed case information. This tool is particularly useful for researching historical estate matters or checking the status of a pending probate case without making a courthouse visit.
All court forms related to probate matters — including estate filings and guardianship petitions — are available directly from the Probate Clerk's Office or through the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts.