How to Search Alabama Court Cases Online (2024 Guide)

You checked your mail and found a court summons. Now you need to know: is this case actually filed? What's the deadline? What court am I dealing with?

Alabama court records are public. You can search them online for a small fee or visit your local courthouse for free. Either way, knowing how to find your case details is the first step to mounting a defense.

This guide walks you through exactly how to search Alabama court cases, which court likely has your lawsuit, and what to do once you find it.

Which Alabama Court Has Your Case?

Alabama has four levels of civil courts. Your debt lawsuit will land in one of two places:

District Court (Most Likely)

District Courts handle civil claims up to $10,000. If you owe less than $3,000, your case is in Small Claims Court, which is a division of District Court. Alabama has 67 district courts, one per county.

Small Claims cases give you 14 days to respond. Standard District Court cases also give you 14 days.

Circuit Court (Higher Dollar Amounts)

Circuit Courts take over when the claim exceeds $10,000. These cases are more formal and often involve attorneys on both sides. You still get 14 days to respond.

Appellate Courts (Not Your Starting Point)

The Court of Civil Appeals and the Alabama Supreme Court only hear cases on appeal. If you're just being sued, you won't start here.

Bottom line: if a debt collector is suing you, start your search at your county's District Court or Circuit Court.

How to Search Alabama Court Cases Online

Alabama's court system offers online access through Alacourt.com, the state's official case records portal. It's not free, but it's fast.

Step 1: Go to Alacourt.com

Head to Alacourt.com. You'll need to create an account. The site charges a small fee per search, usually around $1-$5 depending on the search type.

Step 2: Choose Your Search Method

You can search by:

• Your name (first and last)
• Case number (if you have it from the summons)
• Attorney name (if you know who's suing you)

If you're searching by name, use your full legal name as it appears on your ID. Debt collectors often misspell names, so try variations if nothing comes up.

Step 3: Filter by Court and County

Select the county where you live or where the summons says the case is filed. If you're unsure, check the summons for the court's address. That'll tell you the county.

Then choose the court level: District or Circuit. Start with District Court unless the summons explicitly says Circuit.

Step 4: Review the Results

Once you find your case, you'll see:

• Case number
• Filing date
• Plaintiff (the debt collector or creditor)
• Defendant (that's you)
• Court dates
• Case status (pending, dismissed, judgment entered)

If a judgment has already been entered, that means the court ruled against you. You missed your chance to respond, and the collector can now garnish wages or freeze bank accounts. Filing bankruptcy can stop that collection effort immediately.

How to Search Alabama Court Cases for Free

Not interested in paying for online access? Visit the courthouse.

Go to the clerk's office in the county where your case is filed. Ask to search civil case records. Bring your ID and the case number if you have it. The clerk will let you use their computer terminal to look up your case at no charge.

You can also request copies of court documents, though the clerk may charge 50 cents per page.

This method takes more time, but it's free and you can ask the clerk questions if you're confused about what you're reading.

Understanding Your Alabama Case Number

Every lawsuit gets a unique case number. The prefix tells you what type of case it is:

• SM = Small Claims (under $3,000)
• DV = District Court Civil ($3,000-$10,000)
• CV = Circuit Court Civil (over $10,000)

The letters also indicate your deadline. SM and DV cases give you 14 days to file an Answer. CV cases also give you 14 days in most counties, but double-check the summons.

If your case number starts with SM or DV, you're in District Court. If it starts with CV, you're in Circuit Court.

What to Do After You Find Your Case

Once you locate your case, check three things:

1. Filing Date
Count forward from the filing date to figure out if you've already missed your deadline. If you were served 10 days ago and the filing date matches, you have 4 days left to respond.

2. Court Date
Look for a hearing date. If no date is listed yet, that's normal. The court won't schedule a hearing until you file an Answer or the deadline passes.

3. Case Status
If the status says "default judgment," the collector already won because you didn't respond. If it says "pending" or "active," you still have time.

File Your Answer Before the Deadline

You have 14 days from the date you were served to file an Answer. The Answer is your written response to the lawsuit. It tells the court you dispute the debt or the amount, and it forces the collector to prove their case.

If you file an Answer, the collector can't win by default. They have to show up, present evidence, and prove you owe the debt. Many collectors drop cases once you file because proving old debt is harder than you think.

Our free bankruptcy screener can help you figure out if filing an Answer makes sense or if bankruptcy is a better move. If you're facing multiple lawsuits or the debt is too large to fight, bankruptcy might stop everything at once.

What If You Can't Find Your Case?

If you searched Alacourt and came up empty, try these fixes:

• Search by case number if you have it from the summons.
• Try your name with middle initial, without middle initial, or with a nickname.
• Double-check the county. Debt collectors sometimes file in a different county than where you live.
• Visit the courthouse in person. Clerks can search by SSN or address if needed.

If the case truly doesn't exist, the summons might be fake. Scammers sometimes send fake court papers to scare you into paying. Call the court clerk's office and confirm the case is real before you send money to anyone.

Alabama Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection

Alabama gives debt collectors a limited time to sue you. Once that time expires, they can't file a lawsuit (though they can still call and send letters).

The statute of limitations depends on the type of debt:

• Credit card debt: 3 years
• Medical debt: 6 years
• Auto loans: 4 years
• Personal loans: 6 years

If your case is based on old debt, the statute of limitations might be your defense. Include it in your Answer. The collector has to prove the debt is still within the time limit.

What Happens If You Ignore the Lawsuit?

If you don't respond within 14 days, the court enters a default judgment. The collector wins automatically.

With a judgment, the collector can:

• Garnish up to 25% of your wages
• Freeze your bank account
• Place a lien on your property

Alabama allows wage garnishment for most debts except certain federal benefits like Social Security. If your paycheck is already tight, a garnishment can wreck your budget.

Filing bankruptcy stops wage garnishment immediately. Chapter 7 wipes out most unsecured debt in 3-4 months. Chapter 13 gives you 3-5 years to pay what you can afford, then discharges the rest. Learn more about filing bankruptcy and whether it makes sense for your situation.

Can You Remove an Alabama Court Case from Your Record?

Court cases are public. They stay on your record unless you get them expunged, which is rare in civil debt cases.

A judgment will also appear on your credit report for up to 7 years. It drags your score down and makes it harder to rent an apartment, get a car loan, or open a credit card.

Your best move is to fight the lawsuit before a judgment gets entered. If you win or settle, you avoid the judgment and the credit damage.

If a judgment is already on your record, bankruptcy can discharge the underlying debt and stop collection efforts. The judgment itself stays on your credit report, but it's marked "discharged in bankruptcy," which tells future lenders you dealt with it.

Where to Get Help in Alabama

If you're overwhelmed, you don't have to handle this alone. Here are your options:

• Legal Aid: Alabama Legal Services provides free help to low-income residents. Visit alabamalegalhelp.org or call 866-456-4995.
• Pro Bono Attorneys: The Alabama State Bar offers a lawyer referral service. Some attorneys handle debt defense on a sliding scale.
• Bankruptcy Attorney: If you're juggling multiple debts or facing garnishment, a bankruptcy lawyer can tell you if filing makes sense. Most offer free consultations.

You can also use our bankruptcy screener to see if you qualify for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. It takes 5 minutes and gives you a clear answer.