Tuscaloosa Court Docket

Court docket records for Tuscaloosa go through the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Clerk at the courthouse on Greensboro Avenue. Tuscaloosa is the county seat and sits in the 6th Judicial Circuit, which covers just Tuscaloosa County. The city is home to the University of Alabama. The law school runs clinics that give free legal help to folks in the area. The Clerk keeps files for civil cases, crimes, divorce, child custody, and traffic stops. You can search most of them on Alacourt ACCESS or in person at the courthouse.

County Filing Information

Tuscaloosa is the county seat of Tuscaloosa County. All court filings for Tuscaloosa go through the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Clerk. The 6th Judicial Circuit covers just this county. So all circuit court work stays at the courthouse on Greensboro Avenue downtown.

The Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court hears felony cases, civil suits over $10,000, divorce and child custody, juvenile cases, and appeals. District Court takes care of misdemeanors, civil cases under $10,000, traffic tickets, and small claims. Both courts keep their dockets with the Circuit Clerk.

The presiding judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit is Hon. Allen W. May, Jr. Call him at (205) 464-8275. The Circuit Clerk is Magaria H. Bobo. Staff can answer your questions about court steps, filing rules, and help find case files. Want email alerts? Sign up for AlaFile at alafilenotices@alacourt.gov.

Courthouse Information

The Tuscaloosa County Courthouse sits downtown. The Circuit Clerk's office takes all record requests and case filings there.

Parking

Metered parking is around the Judicial Building. Get there early if you need a spot, especially on busy court days. A parking deck sits nearby too.

Municipal Court

For city code tickets and traffic stops in city limits, the Tuscaloosa Municipal Court deals with those. It's a separate system. Check the Tuscaloosa Municipal Court website for more info.

How to Search Tuscaloosa Court Dockets

Online Search

The main way to search court records is through Alacourt ACCESS. It's the state's court records database. You can find trial court files from all 67 Alabama counties, Tuscaloosa included. Look up by name or case number. You pay per search, and fees show up before you pay.

You can also check the Tuscaloosa County Courts site for court times, judge info, and local rules.

In-Person Search

Going to the courthouse lets you search records with no online fees. The Clerk's office has public computers you can use. Staff will help you find cases and pull files if you need them. Bring your ID and any info you have on the case. Names, dates, or case numbers all help.

Written Requests

You can mail in a request for court records. Put all party names, rough filing dates, and case type if you know it. You'll likely need to pay up front. Give it two to four weeks. Mail requests to the courthouse address up top.

Fees and Costs

Tuscaloosa County has set fees for court record work. State law sets the rates, and they cover most requests.

Fees can change based on the doc type and if you need it certified. At the courthouse, pay with cash, check, or money order. Alacourt ACCESS takes credit cards and shows exact fees before you pay.

Legal Aid Resources

Tuscaloosa has groups that give free or low-cost legal help to those who qualify. The University of Alabama law school runs clinics that do a lot of free legal work for the community.

Legal Services Alabama - Tuscaloosa Office

Legal Services Alabama gives free legal help to low-income folks state-wide. Their Tuscaloosa office is on McFarland Boulevard.

• Address: 1351 McFarland Blvd E, 11th Floor, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404
• Phone: (205) 758-7503
• Statewide: (866) 456-4995
• Website: legalservicesalabama.org
• Cases Handled: Family law, bankruptcy, divorce, estate planning

University of Alabama School of Law Clinics

The UA Law School runs clinics that give free legal help. They put in about 15,000 hours of free work each year.

• Address: 101 Paul Bryant Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
• Phone: (205) 348-4960
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:15 AM to 4:45 PM
• Entrance: West side of Law School, off 2nd Avenue

Available Clinics:

• Civil Law Clinic: Free services for civil legal issues
• Criminal Defense Clinic: Free defense for criminal charges
• Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Clinic: Pro bono transactional services for businesses and nonprofits
• Mediation Law Clinic: Free mediation for family court cases in Tuscaloosa County

Free Counsel and Advice Clinic

A walk-in clinic is open for civil legal issues in Tuscaloosa.

• Time: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (no appointment required)
• Cases: Civil matters only
• Sponsors: Tuscaloosa County Bar Association, Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program, UA Law Public Interest Institute, Legal Services Alabama

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service

If you don't qualify for free legal aid but need help finding a lawyer, the State Bar runs a referral line.

• Phone: 1-800-392-5660
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM
• Initial Consultation: Maximum $50 for 30 minutes

Legal Framework for Court Record Access

State law and court rules set who can see court records. If you know these rules, you'll know what you can get and what's off limits.

Alabama Code Section 36-12-40

This law gives Alabama residents the right to look at and copy public records, court files too. A 2024 change means you must prove you live in Alabama now. Show an Alabama driver license, state ID, or voter card. The law leans toward letting people see records. If there's doubt, courts should let the public in.

Alabama Rules of Court-Record Privacy and Confidentiality

These rules kicked in on January 1, 2025. They list 96 types of info that must stay private. This covers Social Security numbers, bank accounts, medical files, names of child crime victims, abuse victim addresses, and trade secrets. Courts black out this info or seal whole files to keep folks safe.

Sealed Records

Some records are off limits to the public. Juvenile cases stay closed under Alabama Code Section 12-15-133. Same goes for sealed criminal files, adoption records, and anything a judge sealed. Courts can lock files that touch on trade secrets, national security, stalking risks, or touchy family issues.

Expungement

Alabama Code Section 15-27-1 covers how to wipe criminal records clean. You may be able to expunge dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, some misdemeanors after a wait, and certain non-violent felonies. Once expunged, those records come off public access.

Nearby Major Cities

Each city's court records go through its county's Circuit Clerk. If you need files from somewhere else, check these pages.

Start Your Search

Use our search tool to find court docket info from Tuscaloosa and the rest of Alabama.

Official Resources