DeKalb County Court Records Search
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DeKalb County is located in the northeastern corner of Alabama, with Fort Payne serving as its county seat. The county’s judicial system operates through multiple courts, each with distinct jurisdiction: the Circuit Court handles major civil actions, felony criminal cases, and domestic relations; the District Court manages misdemeanors, traffic offenses, preliminary felony hearings, and lower-value civil disputes; the Probate Court oversees estates, wills, guardianships, and recording functions; and several municipal courts address city ordinance violations across the county’s incorporated towns. The DeKalb County Circuit Clerk’s Office serves as the official recordkeeper for all proceedings in the Circuit and District Courts, while the Probate Judge’s Office maintains its own records.
Court records in Alabama can be researched through a combination of clerk’s office visits, written requests, and electronic tools. The statewide Alacourt Access portal provides on-demand retrieval of trial court records for all Alabama counties, including DeKalb, covering criminal, civil, domestic, traffic, and small claims cases. Additional court forms, filing information, and procedural resources are available through AlabamaCourts.us. Locally, public access is provided at the clerk’s window during regular business hours, and the Probate Court maintains a separate online records search tool.
How to Look Up a Court Case in DeKalb County?
Several methods are available for finding case records in DeKalb County, depending on whether you need a quick case status check or certified copies of documents.
Online via Alacourt Access
The Alacourt Access portal is the primary online tool for searching Alabama trial court records. It covers DeKalb County Circuit and District Court cases including criminal, civil, domestic relations, child support, traffic, and small claims matters. Users can search by name or case number. The portal requires account creation and charges the following fees:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name search | $9.99 |
| Case number search | $9.99 |
| Document images | $5.00 (first 20 pages); $0.50 per additional page |
| Circuit Court case monitoring | $29.99 |
| District Court case monitoring | $19.99 |
In Person at the Courthouse
The Circuit Clerk’s office at the DeKalb County Courthouse accepts walk-in requests for records during business hours. Staff can assist with searches and provide copies of court documents.
DeKalb County Circuit Clerk’s Office
Address: 300 Grand Avenue South, Suite 200, Fort Payne, AL 35967
Mailing: P.O. Box 681149, Fort Payne, AL 35968-1149
Phone: (256) 845-8525
Fax: (256) 845-8535
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
By Mail
Written requests can be submitted using the Request for Record Search and/or Copies of Court Records form. Mail the completed form with payment to the Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 681149, Fort Payne, Alabama 35968. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Personal checks are not accepted. Allow approximately two weeks for processing.
Record Search and Copy Fees (Circuit Clerk)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Computerized records search | $10.00 per name |
| Archived/microfilmed records search | $25.00 |
| Paper records examination by clerk | $20.00 |
| Copies — pages 1 through 20 | $5.00 |
| Each additional page | $0.50 |
| Certification (per document) | $5.00 |
| Color photos or copies | $5.00 each |
Per Ala. Code § 12-19-21, payment of search fees does not guarantee results, and the clerk’s office does not issue refunds. The office maintains only DeKalb County Circuit and District Court records — it cannot provide federal, municipal, or out-of-county records.
Are Court Records Public in DeKalb County?
Alabama’s Open Records Law, codified at § 36-12-40, Code of Alabama 1975, grants citizens the right to inspect and copy public records, including court records. Interested individuals may request court documents maintained in DeKalb County provided those records are not sealed or otherwise exempt from disclosure by law or court order.
Certain categories of court records are restricted from public access in Alabama. These include:
- Juvenile court records
- Sealed or expunged criminal records
- Adoption records
- Domestic violence case records (certain filings)
- Criminal records involving sexual abuse of minors
- Records from proceedings involving mentally ill or substance-dependent persons
- Medical reports and diagnoses filed in court proceedings
- Active or outstanding warrants issued in criminal cases
- Confidential witness information
- Records of law enforcement investigative techniques
- Files of public welfare applicants and beneficiaries
- Subpoenas filed under the Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure
- Any records whose disclosure may impede the administration of justice
When records are publicly available, the clerk’s office must make them accessible for inspection and copying at the applicable fee rates. If a request involves records that may contain both public and exempt information, the clerk’s office may redact the restricted portions before providing copies.
DeKalb County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in DeKalb County are prosecuted in the Circuit Court (felonies and appeals) and the District Court (misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and felony preliminary hearings). The Circuit Clerk’s office manages records from both courts, which include warrants, complaints, indictments, docket entries, plea records, sentencing orders, and disposition reports. The office divides records into several divisions, among them Criminal, Traffic, Juvenile, and Warrants.
Searching Criminal Records Online
The Alacourt Access portal includes criminal and traffic case information for DeKalb County. Searches can be run by defendant name or case number for $9.99 per search. Document images cost $5.00 for the first 20 pages.
For criminal case inquiries to the clerk by phone, contact Debbie at (256) 845-8525 (Criminal/Traffic division).
Statewide Criminal History Checks
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) maintains the state repository of criminal history record information (CHRI). Public criminal background checks are available through two channels:
-
By mail or in person: Complete the Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information and submit it with a $25.00 fee (cashier’s check or money order only) and a recent photo ID to:
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
Address: 301 South Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104
Mailing: P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511
Phone: (866) 740-4762 or (334) 676-7897Third-party requestors (such as prospective employers) must complete and notarize the Affidavit for Release Information section on the application form.
- Online via the Alabama Background Check (ABC) portal: This subscription-based service requires an annual fee of $95.00 and charges $15.00 per individual record search.
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office maintains current booking and release information on its website, along with arrest-related details. The Sheriff’s Office is located at:
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 2801 Jordan Road SW, Fort Payne, AL
Non-Emergency Phone: (256) 845-3801
DeKalb County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in DeKalb County — including contract disputes, personal injury claims, property disputes, evictions, landlord/tenant matters, small claims, and workers’ compensation — are handled by the Circuit Court and District Court. The Circuit Court presides over cases with amounts in controversy exceeding District Court limits, while the District Court hears lower-value civil and small claims matters. The Circuit Clerk is the custodian of civil records for both courts.
Accessing Civil Records
Civil case information can be searched online through Alacourt Access by name or case number. For copies of specific documents, submit an in-person or mail request to the Circuit Clerk’s office using the Request for Records form. The standard copy fee is $5.00 for the first 20 pages and $0.50 per additional page, with $5.00 for certification.
For Circuit Civil division inquiries, contact Melinda Whitten at (256) 845-8525 (option 3) or via email at melinda.whitten@alacourt.gov.
Circuit Civil Filing Fees
The following filing fees apply to new civil actions in DeKalb County Circuit Court:
| Action | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil complaint (up to $50,000) | $317.50 |
| Civil complaint ($50,000.01 and over, or unspecified) | $417.50 |
| Workers’ compensation | $265.50 |
| Jury demand | $100.00 |
| Additional defendant (if served by sheriff) | $10.00 each |
| Subpoena | $12.00 |
| Garnishment | $30.00 |
| Execution | $30.00 |
| Counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party complaint | $342.00 |
| Motion for judgment (default, summary) | $50.00 |
| New divorce filing | $265.50 |
Additional court-related forms and services are available through www.alacourt.gov.
Municipal Courts
DeKalb County is served by numerous municipal courts that handle ordinance violations within their city limits. These include courts in Fort Payne, Rainsville, Collinsville, Crossville, Fyffe, Geraldine, Henagar, Ider, Mentone, Powell, Sylvania, and Valley Head. The Fort Payne Municipal Court is the largest, located at 100 Alabama Avenue NW, Fort Payne, AL 35967, reachable at (256) 845-6728. Municipal court records are maintained separately from Circuit and District Court records and must be requested from the individual municipal court.
DeKalb County Family Court Records
Domestic relations cases in DeKalb County — including divorce, annulment, child custody, child support, and visitation — are filed in the Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk’s Civil division (which encompasses domestic relations) maintains these records. Divorce case information and related filings can be searched through Alacourt Access or requested directly from the clerk’s office.
Divorce Records
A new divorce filing in DeKalb County Circuit Court requires a fee of $265.50. Copies of divorce decrees and related case documents are available from the Circuit Clerk at standard copy rates ($5.00 for the first 20 pages, $0.50 each additional page, $5.00 for certification).
The Alabama Center for Health Statistics maintains divorce certificates for events dating from 1950 to the present. A certified copy costs $15.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy of the same record. To request one, provide the names of both divorced parties, the date of divorce, and the county where it was granted. Completed request forms with payment (check or money order payable to the State Board of Health) can be submitted in person to any county health department or mailed to:
Alabama Vital Records
P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625
Marriage Records
Marriage certificates issued in DeKalb County are maintained by the DeKalb County Probate Judge’s Office. The filing fee for an Alabama Marriage Certificate Form is $74.00, and certified copies cost $3.00 each. Marriage records are public in Alabama and available to anyone who provides an adequate description of the record.
The Alabama Center for Health Statistics also holds marriage certificates issued from 1936 onward. Copies cost $15.00 for the first and $6.00 for each additional. The application form can be submitted to a local health department in person or mailed to the Vital Records office.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death records are confidential in Alabama. However, birth records more than 125 years old and death records more than 25 years old may be publicly available. Within those timeframes, only the record subject and other authorized entities may request certified copies. Each certificate costs $15.00 for the first copy and $6.00 per additional copy. Applications can be submitted to any county health department or mailed to the Alabama Vital Records address listed above.
DeKalb County Probate Court Records
The DeKalb County Probate Court handles a range of matters including the probate of wills, estate administration, guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, legitimations, name changes, and condemnation proceedings. Judge Ronnie Osborn presides over the court, which operates from two locations.
DeKalb County Probate Court — Main Office
Address: 300 Grand Avenue SW, Suite 100, Fort Payne, AL 35967
Phone: (256) 845-8510
Fax: (256) 845-8514
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Rainsville Annex
Address: 98 McCurdy Ave S, Rainsville, AL 35986
Phone: (256) 638-9404
Searching Probate Records Online
The Probate Court maintains an online Probate Records search page where users can look up records by name, case number, or other criteria. Online document views cost $1.00 per page.
Probate Court Filing Fees
The following fees apply to probate filings (credit and debit cards are not accepted for probate court filing fees):
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Probate of will | $100.00 |
| Administration (no will) | $110.00 |
| Guardianship/conservatorship | $300.00 |
| Adoption (per child) | $85.00 |
| Legitimation (per child) | $25.00 |
| Condemnation/right of way | $65.00 |
| Summary distribution (small estate) | $70.00 |
| Name change | $25.00 |
| Estate claim | $3.00 |
For copies of probate records obtained in person, the Probate Court charges $1.00 per page and $3.00 for certification per document. The office accepts cash, checks, and credit/debit cards for general transactions (a processing fee is added to card payments), but probate filing fees require cash, check, or money order only.
Recording Functions
The Probate Judge’s office also serves as the county’s recording office for deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real estate documents. Recording fees begin at $13.50 for the first page and $5.50 per additional page. A full breakdown of recording and miscellaneous fees is published on the Probate Court’s website.