How to Search Clarke County Court Records
For Circuit Court and District Court case records, the main online path is Alacourt ACCESS / Just One Look. The Clarke County Circuit Clerk page says court records are electronically imaged and most trial court information can be obtained through that service for a fee. It covers Alabama trial court case types such as criminal, civil, small claims, state traffic, domestic relations, and child support. The separate Clarke County daily docket page is narrower. It shows settings by date and an optional last-name field, but it warns that some cases may not appear on the electronic docket.
The practical search path depends on the record type. Trial court case details run through Alacourt or the Circuit Clerk. Probate records, land records, estates, marriage recording, adoptions, and name changes route through the Probate Court. Traffic payments may go through Alapay or the Alabama Traffic Service Center. Older files, certified copies, missing docket entries, and restricted case types still require a call, mail request, or in-person request to the correct Clarke County office.
- Identify the court first. Felony cases and higher civil matters usually belong in Circuit Court, while misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, small claims, traffic, and lower civil matters often begin in District Court.
- Use Alacourt / Just One Look for paid Circuit and District case details, using either a name search or case-number search.
- Use the Clarke County docket search for a free setting-date check, with last name as an optional filter.
- Contact the Circuit Clerk if a case is not online, if a certified copy is needed, or if an older record is not imaged.
- Use the Probate Court portal or Probate Office for probate, land, marriage, and estate records, since those are not ordinary Circuit Clerk case files.
The official Clarke County homepage links residents to county offices, including the Circuit Clerk, Probate Court, and Sheriff's Department.
That county office layout is useful because it separates court records from Probate Court and Sheriff's Department contacts.
Clarke County Court Search Fields
Alacourt and the Clarke County docket page do not ask for the same information. Just One Look is the paid case-detail path, while the docket page is a setting-date tool. A subscriber login is a third path and requires credentials. Use the free docket page when the main question is whether a hearing is set. Use the paid case search when the need is a fuller case action summary, party detail, financial history, or document image.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name Search | Search type | Yes for name path | Alacourt public search, listed at $9.99. |
| Case Number Search | Search type | Yes for case-number path | Alacourt public search, listed at $9.99. |
| Setting Date | Date link or selector | Yes for docket search | Used for the Clarke County daily docket. |
| Last Name | Text | No | Optional on docket search. Leave blank to return the entire docket. |
| Customer ID / User ID / Password | Login fields | Yes for subscriber login | Subscriber access only, not the public on-demand search. |
Clarke County Court System
Clarke County is part of Alabama's First Judicial Circuit with Choctaw and Washington Counties. Circuit Court is the general-jurisdiction trial court. District Court is the limited-jurisdiction county trial court. Probate Court is a separate county office, not just a division of the Circuit Clerk, and it handles probate and recording work. Municipal courts may handle city ordinance cases and selected traffic matters for Coffeeville, Fulton, Grove Hill, Jackson, and Thomasville.
Case flow: Arrest or complaint › District Court first appearance or preliminary stage › grand jury review for many felony matters › Circuit Court trial or plea › Alabama appellate court review when an appeal is filed.
| Court or Office | Local Official | Address | Records and Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | Hon. Perry Newton; Presiding Judge Charles R. Montgomery for the circuit | 114 Court Street, Grove Hill | Felony, higher civil, domestic, appeals, and general trial court matters. |
| District Court | Hon. James H. Morgan, Jr. | 114 Court Street, Grove Hill | Misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings, traffic, small claims, and lower civil cases. |
| Circuit Clerk | Summer Scruggs Padgett | P.O. Box 921, Grove Hill | Civil, criminal, domestic, child support, traffic, juvenile, warrants, and jury management. |
| Probate Court | Judge Valerie Bradford Davis | P.O. Box 10, 114 Court Street, Grove Hill | Wills, estates, adoptions, name changes, marriage, property records, commitments, and elections. |
| Sheriff's Office | Sheriff DeWayne Smith | 114 Court Street, Grove Hill | Warrant service, subpoenas, court security, law enforcement, and jail coordination. |
The official Circuit Court Clerk page names Summer Scruggs Padgett and gives the clerk's court-record duties.
The clerk page matters because Circuit and District case records are managed through that office rather than through Probate Court.
Clarke County Courthouse Contacts
The main courthouse address for Clarke County Court records is 114 Court Street in Grove Hill, Alabama. The AOC county page lists the Clarke County Courthouse with P.O. Box 921 and the Circuit Clerk phone, while the county Circuit Clerk page lists office hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. The Probate Court shares the courthouse address but uses P.O. Box 10 and a separate phone line.
Clarke County Courthouse
114 Court Street
Grove Hill, AL 36451
(251) 275-3163
Clarke County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 921
Grove Hill, AL 36451
(251) 275-3363
Fax (251) 275-3271
Clarke County Probate Court
P.O. Box 10, 114 Court Street
Grove Hill, AL 36451
(251) 275-3251
Clarke County Court Record Types
Clarke County court records are not one file set. Civil court records may include complaints, answers, motions, service returns, orders, judgments, garnishments, and financial entries. Criminal court records may include complaints, warrants, bond entries, indictments, arraignment settings, pleas, dispositions, sentencing orders, restitution, fines, and case action summaries. Domestic and child support records are trial court records, though sensitive family details may be restricted.
Probate records are separate from ordinary Circuit and District Court case records. The Probate Court handles wills, estates, adoptions, legitimations, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes, marriage recording, property records, corporation records, involuntary commitments, elections, and notary matters. Traffic records may exist in Alapay, the Traffic Service Center, Alacourt, or the District Court file. Jail status and warrant service are held by the Sheriff's Department, while the court case itself remains with the clerk.
- Civil records: pleadings, orders, judgments, garnishments, and cost entries.
- Criminal records: charges, settings, pleas, dispositions, sentences, fines, and restitution.
- Domestic records: divorce, custody, support, protection, and related orders.
- Probate records: estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage, and land records.
- Traffic records: citations, court dates, pleas, payment status, proof tickets, and failure-to-appear events.
What Clarke County Court Records Show
A case detail report may show basic case information, court action, case status, setting dates, party information, financial history, and a detailed case action summary. Alacourt also lists court setting dates, court actions and rulings, party details, financial information and costs, and document images or attachments. Document images carry separate fees. Some sensitive information may be redacted under Alabama court rules or a court order.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | Alabama court case identifier, such as a traffic or District Court format. |
| Court / Division | Circuit, District, Municipal, Probate, or a related division such as traffic or domestic. |
| Parties | Defendant, plaintiff, petitioner, respondent, estate, ward, or other named parties. |
| Setting Dates | Scheduled court dates, hearings, trial settings, and related docket events. |
| Disposition | Current or final result, such as dismissed, guilty plea, judgment, paid, or warrant issued. |
| Financial History | Fines, costs, restitution, document-image fees, and outstanding balances. |
Clarke County Public Access Laws
Alabama public access starts with the public writings law, but court records also have court-specific limits. For Clarke County Court records, use the local custodian first. The Circuit Clerk is the custodian for Circuit and District case records. Probate Court is the custodian for probate, land, marriage, election, and recording records. The Sheriff's Department is the practical source for jail, service, and warrant questions, but no official county warrant search or inmate roster was found in the official county pages reviewed.
Key Statutes:
Alabama Code Section 36-12-40 gives citizens the right to inspect and copy public writings unless another law creates an exception.
Alabama Code Section 36-12-41 allows reasonable fees for public-record copies and services.
Alabama Code Section 12-15-133 restricts many juvenile court records from ordinary public release.
Alabama Code Section 15-27-1 starts the Alabama expungement framework for eligible criminal records.
The Alabama Legislature public writings statute page is one of the core state-law sources for public-record access.
That statute supports public inspection, but it does not override juvenile, sealed, adoption, mental-health, or expungement restrictions.
Restricted Clarke County Court Records
Some records are not ordinary public files. Juvenile delinquency, Child in Need of Supervision, and dependency matters involve children under 18 and are restricted by Alabama law. Adoption records, mental-health commitments, sealed records, expunged criminal records, protected addresses, personal identifiers, medical details, and sensitive financial data may be withheld or redacted. A public docket may show a limited entry even when the full file is not available for public inspection.
For expungement or sealing questions, the starting point is the court and case number. A petition is filed in the court with jurisdiction over the record, often through the Circuit Clerk for Circuit or District criminal matters. If an order is granted, the public-facing search may change, but internal law-enforcement or prosecutorial records may still exist for legally allowed uses.
Clarke County Court Records Fees
Fees vary by system and record type. Alacourt charges for public searches and document images. Alapay adds a service fee for online traffic and criminal fine payments, while payment by cash or money order at the courthouse or by money order through the mail avoids that convenience fee. Probate recording and copy fees follow a separate schedule.
| Item | Amount or Rule |
|---|---|
| Just One Look name search | $9.99 |
| Just One Look case-number search | $9.99 |
| Alacourt document images | $5.00 first 20 pages, then $0.50 per page |
| Case monitoring | $19.99 District Court case; $29.99 Circuit Court case |
| Alapay service fee | 4% for traffic or criminal fine payment |
| Probate copies | $1 per page, plus $3 certification when certified |
Traffic Warrants and Jail Records
Clarke County traffic citations issued for District Court may be paid before court when allowed. The court date on the citation is not a trial date. A defendant who wants to plead not guilty must appear on the court date or use available Online Traffic Resolution options. Failure to pay, dispose of the case, or appear can lead to an arrest warrant, driver's license suspension by ALEA, increased fine, and bond forfeiture.
The Sheriff's Department is led by Sheriff DeWayne Smith and maintains the county jail. The Sheriff's page says deputies serve arrest warrants, subpoenas, small claims, divorce decrees, evictions, and other papers, and that the department maintains courthouse security with three courtrooms in session. No official Clarke County online jail roster or active-warrant web search was located in the official county pages reviewed. Current custody questions go to the jail at (251) 275-8156, and sheriff records or warrant questions go to (251) 275-4254.
For a fuller custody path, use the Clarke County inmate records page when jail status is the main issue.
Clarke County Probate Records
The Probate Court handles many records that people may first think of as court records. Those include wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes, adoptions, legitimations, marriage recording, property records, involuntary commitments, corporation records, elections, and notary appointments. The Probate Court page says account creation for its public records portal has no fee and documents available through that portal have no access fee.
Marriage records route through Probate Court and the Alabama Department of Public Health, while divorce case files route through the Circuit Clerk or Alacourt. Certified divorce certificates are available through ADPH. Historical records are also important in Clarke County. The county history page says Probate Office holdings include marriage records, will and estate records, deed and mortgage records beginning in 1814, plus older loose records and genealogy material.
- Testator
- A person who made a will.
- Executor
- A person appointed to carry out a will or estate order.
- Conservatorship
- A probate case for managing property or finances for a person who needs protection.
- Certified copy
- A copy authenticated by the clerk or office as an official record.
Clarke County Court History
Clarke County was created on December 10, 1812, before Alabama statehood. Early court sessions were held before the county had a fixed seat, including at John Landrum's home near Winn in February 1813. The county seat later moved from Clarkesville to Grove Hill, then known as Macon, because Clarkesville lacked adequate water. In 1837, county leaders sought a fire-proof brick building for county and circuit clerk records, which shows how early record preservation shaped local court administration.
The Probate Court history explains that an early Orphans' Court handled probate and orphan business and also performed administrative and limited civil or criminal functions. Alabama created Probate Courts in each county in 1850, and Clarke County later split Probate Office functions from the License Commission in 1989. That history explains why modern Clarke County court records are divided among the Circuit Clerk, Probate Court, Sheriff, and state systems.
The official Code of Alabama search page is the statewide source for current statutes cited in Clarke County court record work.
That state code source is useful when a record question depends on a current Alabama statute rather than a local office page.
Read Clarke County Court Records
Several terms appear often in Clarke County Court records. A docket is the schedule or list of case events. A case action summary is the chronological list of filings, settings, rulings, and financial events. A disposition is the current or final result of a charge or case. A capias is a court order directing law enforcement to take a person into custody. A conviction is not the same thing as a charge. A charge is an allegation. A conviction is a final finding or plea of guilt.
When a record shows a setting date, confirm that the date is still active before traveling. The Clarke docket search itself warns that some cases may not appear electronically. Financial entries also need care. A balance may include fines, costs, restitution, document fees, or payment processing charges. For official action, certified copies and clerk verification matter more than a search-result screenshot.
Clarke County Court Records FAQ
Is there a free Clarke County Court record search?
The Clarke County daily docket page is free, but it is a docket tool and warns that some cases may not appear. Full Circuit and District case detail usually runs through Alacourt / Just One Look, which lists fees for name and case-number searches.
Who keeps Clarke County Circuit Court records?
The Circuit Clerk keeps Circuit and District Court records. The office is led by Summer Scruggs Padgett and handles civil, criminal, domestic, child support, traffic, juvenile, warrants, and jury management divisions.
Are Probate Court records searched the same way?
No. Probate Court is a separate Clarke County office. It handles estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage records, property records, elections, and similar matters. Its records portal is separate from Alacourt.
Can the Circuit Clerk give legal advice?
No. The official court pages direct people who need legal assistance to an attorney. The clerk can provide record access and procedural office help, but not legal strategy or advice.
Where are Clarke County traffic tickets paid?
Traffic tickets may be paid by mail to the Circuit Clerk when payable, online through Alapay, by phone through the listed payment service, or through the Traffic Service Center when an option is available.
Does Clarke County publish an online inmate roster?
No official Clarke County online jail roster was found in the official county pages reviewed. Current custody questions should be confirmed with the Clarke County Jail.
Clarke County Copy Fee Authority
The Alabama public-records fee statute page supports reasonable copy and service fees for public records.
That fee authority helps explain why online searches, copy requests, certified copies, and document images may carry different costs.