Find Family Court Records in Mobile

Mobile family court records are filed with the Mobile County Circuit Court's Domestic Relations Division. As Alabama's second-most populous city and the county seat of Mobile County, Mobile has well-established family law services through the 13th Judicial Circuit's dedicated Family Court Division. Residents can get divorce decrees, child custody orders, child support documentation, protection from abuse petitions, and other domestic relations case files. The Domestic Relations Court is in Room C 909 at the courthouse on Government Street. Records are available through in-person courthouse visits, mail requests, and the Alacourt online database system.

County Jurisdiction for Mobile Family Cases

All family court cases for Mobile residents are filed with the Mobile County Circuit Court. Mobile County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit, which runs a dedicated Family Court Division and Domestic Relations Court established under Alabama Code § 12-17-24.1. This specialized division concentrates on divorce, custody, child support, and all domestic relations matters.

Mobile serves as the county seat, hosting the courthouse facility where all family law records are kept. The Circuit Clerk, Ashleigh Long, manages record access and gives certified copies of court documents. Mobile's status as the county seat means residents have direct local access to courthouse services without traveling outside the city.

Mobile County Courthouse Information

Location and Contact

The Mobile County Courthouse is located at 205 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36644. The Domestic Relations Division is in Room C 909 and can be reached at (251) 574-8441. The main Circuit Clerk's office phone is (251) 574-8806. Email inquiries may be sent to 13jcdomesticrelations@alacourt.gov. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday with no lunch closure. The payment window closes at 4:30 PM.

Domestic Relations Court Services

The Domestic Relations Division handles all family law matters under the jurisdiction established by Alabama Code § 12-17-24.2. Cases cover divorces, annulments, legal separations, paternity actions, child custody and visitation disputes, child support modifications, spousal support matters, parental rights termination, and protection from abuse orders. The division keeps specialized staff and procedures for domestic relations cases.

Obtaining Case Files

Records requests can be submitted in person at Room C 909 during office hours. Staff can locate case files, give copies, and certify documents for legal purposes. Telephone inquiries at (251) 574-8441 can give basic case status info. Written requests by mail should be addressed to the Domestic Relations Division at the courthouse address with payment covered.

Online Access to Mobile Family Court Records

Alacourt Access System

The Alacourt Access portal at https://pa.alacourt.com/ gives subscription-based online access to Mobile County family court records. Users can search by party names, case numbers, or other case identifiers to locate divorce cases, custody orders, and related filings. Scanned documents are on hand for viewing and downloading when the court has uploaded digital images to the system.

Mobile County Circuit Court Website

The county's court website at https://mobile.alacourt.gov/ has information about the Domestic Relations Division at https://mobile.alacourt.gov/domestic-relations/. The site gives contact information, forms, filing instructions, and general information about family court procedures. Free public case searches aren't available through the website.

AlaFile Electronic Filing

Pro se litigants and attorneys in Mobile family court cases can file documents electronically via AlaFile at https://efile.alacourt.gov/. The system permits electronic submission of pleadings, motions, and other case documents. Users get electronic service and can view filed documents online after registration.

Fees for Mobile Family Court Records

Circuit Clerk Fee Schedule

The Mobile County Circuit Clerk charges fees for records services as authorized by state law. Typical 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 Domestic Relations Division at (251) 574-8441 for current pricing. payment methods accepted include cash, check, money order, and credit or debit cards. Payments must be made by 4:30 PM during business days.

Vital Records Fees

Divorce certificates can be ordered 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 through VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com/.

Alabama Family Law Statutes

Divorce and Legal Separation

Grounds for divorce in Alabama are specified in Alabama Code § 30-2-1, including irretrievable breakdown, adultery, voluntary abandonment, imprisonment, addiction, and other enumerated grounds. Residency requirements under § 30-2-4 mandate that either the complainant or defendant must have lived in 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 found 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

Victims of domestic violence can petition for protection orders under Alabama Code Title 30, Chapter 5. The Mobile County Circuit Court issues protection from abuse orders, including emergency ex parte orders. No filing fee is usually charged for protection order petitions.

Local Legal Assistance in Mobile

Legal Services Alabama

Legal Services Alabama runs an office serving Mobile County that gives free civil legal aid to eligible low-income residents. Services include 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 assets.

Mobile County Family Court Services

The Mobile County Family Court Services office gives resources for parties involved in domestic relations cases, including a domestic violence liaison and help with protection from abuse petitions. Call the Domestic Relations Division at (251) 574-8441 for information about on hand services.

Mobile Bar Association

The Mobile Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service that can connect residents with family law attorneys in the area. The Alabama State Bar also gives referral services at https://www.alabar.org/for-the-public/get-legal-help/.

Self-Help Resources

Alabama Legal Help at https://www.alabamalegalhelp.org/ offers do-it-yourself forms, instructions, and legal information for self-represented parties in family court cases. Forms for divorce, custody modification, and other proceedings are on hand for download.

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 sealed automatically. Personal identifiers including social security numbers, bank account information, and medical records are redacted from publicly accessible documents. Court orders are needed to access sealed records.

Confidential Proceedings

Certain case types are confidential by law. 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 Mobile

Mobile County Probate Court

The Mobile County Probate Court handles marriage licenses, adoptions, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes. These records are kept separately from Circuit Court family law cases. The Probate Court is located at the Mobile County Courthouse.

Child Support Enforcement

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

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. The Mobile County Health Department may also process vital records requests.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

Mobile is located in Southwest Alabama. Residents of nearby municipalities file family court cases in their respective county circuit courts:

• Montgomery - State capital in Montgomery County, approximately 170 miles north of Mobile
• Dothan - Houston County seat, approximately 170 miles northeast of Mobile
• Birmingham - Jefferson County, approximately 255 miles north of Mobile
• Tuscaloosa - Tuscaloosa County, approximately 215 miles northwest of Mobile
• Huntsville - Madison County, approximately 340 miles north of Mobile