Access Birmingham Family Court Records
Birmingham family court records are filed and kept at the Jefferson County Circuit Court's Family Court Division. As the county seat of Alabama's most populous county and the state's third-largest city, Birmingham gives comprehensive family law services through the 10th Judicial Circuit's dedicated Family Court Division. Residents can access divorce decrees, child custody orders, child support documentation, paternity determinations, and protection from abuse petitions. The Family Court is located at 120 2nd Court North in downtown Birmingham. Jefferson County runs two circuit clerk divisions for different geographic areas, so Birmingham residents should verify which division handles their case. Records are available through in-person courthouse visits, mail requests to the clerk's office, and the Alacourt online database subscription service.
Birmingham Family Court Quick Facts
County Jurisdiction for Birmingham Family Cases
All family court cases for Birmingham residents are filed with the Jefferson County Circuit Court. Jefferson County is organized under the 10th Judicial Circuit, which has established a dedicated Family Court Division per Alabama Code § 12-17-24.1. This specialized division assigns judges exclusively to family law cases, providing focused attention to domestic relations matters.
As the county seat of Alabama's most populous county, Birmingham hosts the main Family Court facility. The Circuit Clerk for the Birmingham Division is Jackie Anderson-Smith, who can be reached at (205) 325-5355. Jefferson County also runs a Bessemer Division that handles cases for residents in the western part of the county. Birmingham residents usually file cases through the Birmingham Division.
Jefferson County Family Court Information
Location and Contact
The Jefferson County Family Court is located at 120 2nd Court North, Birmingham, AL 35204. The Juvenile Docket office can be reached at (205) 325-5444, and the Adult Docket office at (205) 325-5803. The main Circuit Clerk's office for the Birmingham Division is at 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North, Room 420, Birmingham, AL 35203, with phone number (205) 325-5355.
Family Court Division Services
The Family Court Division handles all domestic relations matters within the jurisdiction established by Alabama Code § 12-17-24.2. Cases cover divorces, legal separations, annulments, child custody and visitation, child support establishment and modification, alimony, paternity determinations, termination of parental rights, and protection from abuse orders. Dedicated family court judges preside over these matters.
Birmingham vs. Bessemer Divisions
Jefferson County keeps two circuit clerk divisions. The Birmingham Division serves the eastern portion of the county, including Birmingham and surrounding communities. The Bessemer Division serves the western part of the county. Residents should confirm which division handles their case when filing or requesting records.
Obtaining Case Files
Records requests can be submitted in person at the Circuit Clerk's office or the Family Court during business hours. Staff can locate case files, give photocopies, and certify documents. Telephone inquiries to the Juvenile or Adult Docket offices can give basic case status info. Mail requests should be addressed to the appropriate division with payment enclosed.
Online Access to Birmingham Family Court Records
Alacourt Access System
The Alacourt Access portal at https://pa.alacourt.com/ gives subscription-based access to Jefferson County family court records, including Birmingham cases. Users can search by party names, case numbers, or other identifiers to locate divorce cases, custody orders, and related documents. Scanned images of court filings are available when the court has digitized records.
Jefferson County Circuit Court Website
The county's court website at https://jefferson.alacourt.gov/ gives general information about the Circuit Court. The Family Court website is at https://www.jccal.org/Default.asp?ID=251&pg=Family+Court. These sites offer contact information, forms, and procedural guidance but don't give free public case searches.
AlaFile Electronic Filing
Attorneys and pro se litigants can file documents electronically through AlaFile at https://efile.alacourt.gov/. The system allows electronic submission of pleadings, motions, and other case documents. Users get electronic service and can access filed documents after registering for an account.
Fees for Birmingham Family Court Records
Circuit Clerk Fee Schedule
The Jefferson County Circuit Clerk charges fees for records services as permitted by Alabama law. Standard fees include:
- Copy Fee: $0.50 per page for standard photocopies
- Certified Copies: $3 to $5 certification fee per document plus per-page copy fees
- Search Fee: May vary depending on the scope of research needed
- Alacourt Subscription: Monthly or annual fees for online database access
Fee amounts might change. Call the Circuit Clerk's Birmingham Division at (205) 325-5355 for current pricing. Payment methods accepted include cash, check, money order, and credit or debit cards at the courthouse.
Vital Records Fees
Divorce certificates are available from the Alabama Department of Public Health for $15, which includes a search and one certified copy. Additional certified copies are $6 each. Requests may be submitted to P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625, by phone at (334) 206-5418, or online via VitalChek.
Alabama Family Law Statutes
Divorce and Legal Separation
Alabama law establishes grounds for divorce in Alabama Code § 30-2-1, including irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, adultery, voluntary abandonment, imprisonment for two years or more, addiction to alcohol or drugs, confinement for mental illness, and other specified grounds. Residency requirements under § 30-2-4 need that either party must have been a bona fide resident of Alabama for six months before filing. Legal separation is governed by § 30-2-40.
Child Custody and Support
Courts find out child custody based on the best interests of the child under Alabama Code § 30-3-1. Joint custody provisions are detailed in § 30-3-160 through § 30-3-169.4, including requirements for parenting plans and factors courts must consider. Child support guidelines are established in Title 30, Chapter 6. Interstate custody disputes are handled under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act in Title 30, Chapter 3A.
Protection from Abuse
Victims of domestic violence can petition for protection from abuse orders under Alabama Code Title 30, Chapter 5. The Jefferson County Circuit Court issues these orders, including emergency ex parte orders. No filing fee is usually needed for protection order petitions.
Local Legal Assistance in Birmingham
Legal Services Alabama
Legal Services Alabama runs a Birmingham office that serves Jefferson County residents. The organization gives free civil legal aid to eligible low-income people and families, including help with divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence, and other family law matters. The statewide intake number is 1-866-456-4995. Eligibility is based on income and household size.
Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers Program
The Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers Program connects eligible people with pro bono attorneys who give free legal services in family law cases. The program serves Jefferson County residents and offers help with divorce, custody, and related matters.
Alabama Legal Help
Alabama Legal Help at https://www.alabamalegalhelp.org/ gives self-help forms, instructions, and legal information for people representing themselves in family court. Resources cover do-it-yourself divorce forms, custody modification petitions, and procedural guides.
Law School Resources
Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham runs legal clinics that may give services or referrals. The University of Alabama School of Law in nearby Tuscaloosa also runs clinics serving Alabama residents, including a domestic violence clinic.
Record Privacy and Confidentiality
Family Court Privacy Rules
Alabama's updated court-record privacy rules, effective January 1, 2025, exempt "wholly private family matters" from public access. Child custody records are automatically sealed. Personal information such as social security numbers, financial account numbers, and medical records is redacted from publicly on hand documents. Parties seeking access to sealed records must get a court order.
Confidential Case Types
Certain proceedings are confidential by statute. Adoption records are sealed under the Alabama Adoption Code, Title 26, Chapter 10A. Juvenile court proceedings are confidential under the Alabama Juvenile Justice Act, Title 12, Chapter 15. Domestic violence victim addresses and location information are protected in protection from abuse cases.
Secondary Record Sources in Birmingham
Jefferson County Probate Court
The Jefferson County Probate Court handles marriage licenses, adoptions, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes. Probate Court records are kept separately from Circuit Court family law cases. The Probate Court has offices in both Birmingham and Bessemer.
Child Support Enforcement
The Alabama Department of Human Resources keeps child support payment records, modification history, and enforcement actions for Birmingham residents. Information is available to parties in the case and authorized agencies. The Jefferson County DHR office serves the Birmingham area. The statewide DHR website is https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-support-enforcement-division/.
Domestic Violence Services
YWCA Central Alabama gives domestic violence services, including legal advocacy and help with protection from abuse petitions. The organization serves Jefferson County residents, including those in Birmingham.
Vital Records
Marriage and divorce certificates from August 1936 forward (marriage) and January 1950 forward (divorce) are available from the Alabama Department of Public Health. Requests may be submitted to P.O. Box 5625, Montgomery, AL 36103-5625, by phone at (334) 206-5418, or online via VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com/.
Nearby Qualifying Cities
Birmingham is located in Central Alabama as part of the state's largest metropolitan area. Residents of nearby municipalities file family court cases in their respective county circuit courts:
- Hoover - Also located primarily in Jefferson County with access to the 10th Circuit Family Court Division
- Tuscaloosa - Tuscaloosa County seat, approximately 60 miles west of Birmingham
- Montgomery - State capital in Montgomery County, approximately 90 miles south of Birmingham
- Huntsville - Madison County, approximately 100 miles north of Birmingham
- Mobile - Mobile County, approximately 255 miles south of Birmingham