Access Decatur Family Court Records

Decatur family court records are filed with the Morgan County Circuit Court. As the county seat of Morgan County, Decatur has access to family law services through the 8th Judicial Circuit. The circuit doesn't have a separate Family Court Division, so the Circuit Court handles all domestic relations matters. Residents can get divorce decrees, child custody orders, child support documentation, paternity determinations, and protection from abuse petitions. The courthouse is in downtown Decatur. Records are available through the Circuit Clerk's office at the courthouse during business hours, by mail request to the clerk, or via the Alacourt online subscription database for electronic access to case filings and court documents.

County Jurisdiction for Decatur Family Cases

All family court cases for Decatur residents are filed with the Morgan County Circuit Court. Morgan County is organized under the 8th Judicial Circuit, which doesn't have a dedicated Family Court Division. Instead, the Circuit Court handles family law matters along with other civil and criminal cases. Circuit Court jurisdiction over domestic relations matters is established by Alabama Code § 12-17-24.2.

As the county seat, Decatur hosts the county courthouse where all family law records are kept. The Circuit Clerk, Chris Priest, manages record access and gives certified copies of court documents. The office can be reached at (256) 351-4790.

Morgan County Courthouse Information

Location and Contact

The Morgan County Courthouse is located in downtown Decatur. The Circuit Clerk's mailing address is P.O. Box 668, Decatur, AL 35602. The office can be reached by phone at (256) 351-4790. The courthouse gives accessible parking and services for visitors.

Circuit Court Family Law Services

The Morgan County Circuit Court handles all family law matters, including 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. While the 8th Circuit doesn't have a separate Family Court Division, circuit judges preside over domestic relations cases.

Obtaining Case Files

Records requests can be submitted in person at the Circuit Clerk's office during work hours. Staff can help with locating case files, providing photocopies, and certifying documents for legal purposes. Telephone inquiries at (256) 351-4790 can give basic case status info. Mail requests should be addressed to the Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 668, Decatur, AL 35602, with payment enclosed.

Online Access to Decatur Family Court Records

Alacourt Access System

The Alacourt Access portal at https://pa.alacourt.com/ gives subscription-based access to Morgan County family court records, including Decatur 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 and uploaded them to the system.

Morgan County Circuit Court Website

The county's court website at https://morgan.alacourt.gov/ gives general information about the Circuit Court, contact details, and procedural guidance. The website doesn't offer free public case searches but serves as a resource for people needing court information.

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 Decatur Family Court Records

Circuit Clerk Fee Schedule

The Morgan County Circuit Clerk charges fees for records services as authorized 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 based on the complexity of the request
• Alacourt Subscription: Monthly or annual fees for online database access

Fee amounts might change. Call the Circuit Clerk's office at (256) 351-4790 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

Grounds for divorce in Alabama are specified in Alabama Code § 30-2-1, including irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, adultery, voluntary abandonment, imprisonment, addiction, and other enumerated 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 addressed in § 30-2-40.

Child Custody and Support

Child custody determinations are governed by Alabama Code § 30-3-1, which need courts to consider the best interests of the child. Joint custody provisions are detailed in § 30-3-160 through § 30-3-169.4. Child support guidelines are established in Title 30, Chapter 6. Interstate custody cases are handled under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act in Title 30, Chapter 3A.

Protection from Abuse

Domestic violence victims can petition for protection from abuse orders under Alabama Code Title 30, Chapter 5. The Morgan 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 Decatur

Legal Services Alabama

Legal Services Alabama serves Morgan County residents, providing free civil legal aid to eligible low-income people and families. Services include help with divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence protection orders, and other family law matters. The statewide intake number is 1-866-456-4995. Eligibility is based on income and household size.

Self-Help Resources

Alabama Legal Help at https://www.alabamalegalhelp.org/ offers do-it-yourself forms, instructions, and legal information for people representing themselves in family court. Resources cover divorce petition templates, custody modification forms, and procedural guides.

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral

The Alabama State Bar runs a lawyer referral service at https://www.alabar.org/for-the-public/get-legal-help/, which can connect Decatur residents with family law attorneys practicing in the area.

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 Decatur

Morgan County Probate Court

The Morgan 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 is located at the Morgan County Courthouse in Decatur.

Child Support Enforcement

The Alabama Department of Human Resources keeps child support payment records, modification history, and enforcement actions for Decatur residents. Information is available to parties in the case and authorized agencies. The DHR website is https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-support-enforcement-division/.

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

Decatur is located in North Alabama along the Tennessee River. Residents of nearby municipalities file family court cases in their respective county circuit courts:

• Huntsville - Madison County, approximately 25 miles east of Decatur
• Madison - Madison County, approximately 25 miles southeast of Decatur
• Birmingham - Jefferson County, approximately 85 miles south of Decatur
• Tuscaloosa - Tuscaloosa County, approximately 115 miles southwest of Decatur
• Montgomery - State capital in Montgomery County, approximately 150 miles south of Decatur