Madison County Court Records
Madison County court records are official documents submitted to or generated by the county clerk of courts during a civil, criminal case, or other legal proceedings. This includes all case documents filed in a case such as exhibits, pleadings, testimony, briefs, orders, motions, memoranda, etc. Interested persons or residents of Madison County may use information gathered from a court record to monitor the progress of a case, as evidence in the court of law, for research and educational purposes, for professional practice, etc. These records are maintained by the Madison County Court Clerks and made available to the public in keeping with the provisions of Alabama law.
Are Court Records Public in Madison County?
Yes. Under the provisions of the Alabama Public Records Law Al. Code §36-25A-1 et seq., citizens have the right to inspect and copy publicly available court records. However, this law is not absolute as selected court records are not available to members of the public.
Court records typically withheld from public view include criminal court case documents pertaining to juveniles, court documents containing confidential information, and records pertaining to sealed, dismissed, or expunged cases. Portions of court records that contain sensitive information such as social security numbers or identifying information about members of the jury are generally redacted from public records databases as well. Restricted court records are available to parties to the case and law enforcement officers. However, members of the public can obtain sealed records by making in-person requests to the office of the record with a subpoena or court order authorizing the access.
Where to Conduct a Madison County Case Lookup
Madison County court case records can be obtained by making in-person queries to relevant custodians, sending mail requests, and using online search options provided by custodians. For an in-person Madison County Case Lookup, visit the office of the Circuit Clerk, courthouse clerks, or any government-provided service centers (within the jurisdiction where the case was heard), during business hours. Most record custodians also provide records request forms online for convenience. However, inquirers may opt for any of the free online search tools operated by equivalent government offices or third-party aggregate sites.
How to Conduct a Madison County Case Records Search
To obtain copies of Madison County Court records, interested persons must fill out the Records Request Form provided by the Madison County Circuit Clerk’s Office. Information typically required to obtain a court record usually includes the case’s index number and the name(s) of parties to the case. The form must then be submitted through mail or in-person to the Circuit Clerk’s office at:
For records regarding Family Court, domestic matters, etc.
Office of the Circuit Clerk
Records Search
Family Court Division
100 North Side Square
Huntsville, AL 35801.
For records regarding District Court (Civil/Small Claims/Criminal/Traffic)
Office of the Circuit Clerk
Records Search
District Court Division
100 Northside Square
Huntsville, AL 35801.
Inquirers may view or copy records after making payment via money orders, cashiers' checks, or in cash (at the clerk’s office). The pricing structure for viewing records is as follows:
Computerized Records – $10.00
Paper Records – $20.00
Archived/Microfilmed Records – $25.00
For copying:
Pages 1 through 20 (paper or electronic page) – $ 5.00
Each additional page – $0.50
Each certified copy – $5.00
Court records can also be obtained online on the County’s Probate Court website. In addition, cities like Madison City offer online records request platforms. For convenience, websites maintained by most record custodians provide directives on how to find court records on a person at their offices.
Madison County Civil Court Case Records
Madison County civil court records are court documents related to civil litigations filed in any of the county’s courts. Pursuant to state law, most civil court case records in Alabama are public records. However, certain civil court records may be unavailable for public view if they are sealed, restricted, or made confidential by state law or court order.
They can be obtained online (on websites managed by the government or third parties) or by visiting the office of the record custodian with jurisdiction over the case of interest. The clerk of a court where a case was filed or heard usually maintains records of the proceedings. People can also mail in queries to obtain civil court case records.
While most record custodians allow free lookups at their office locations, they usually charge a fee for copying. Requesters must provide identifying details about the court record of interest such as its index number and/or the name of any party involved in the case.
Madison County Criminal Court Case Records
Madison County criminal court records are documents that contain information pertaining to criminal litigation. Pursuant to Rule 30 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration, access to records pertaining to criminal court proceedings is not absolute. As such, certain criminal records may be restricted, sealed, or exempted while some are open. Rule 20 of Alabama’s Rules of Juvenile Procedure dictates that all criminal court records involving juveniles are automatically sealed from public view.
Criminal records are maintained by the clerk of courts as well as the County Circuit Clerk. Records that are deemed public can be found in court dockets while sealed criminal records can only be accessed in person at the office of the court clerk with a subpoena or court order authorizing the access. Open criminal records can be obtained at the office of the relevant custodian after a requester has fulfilled identification and payment requirements applicable to a specific custodian and the nature of their search.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Any member of the public may access select court records online for free on a website managed by the Probate Court of Madison County. Users must own an account on the website to access the available records. Accounts are created using an inquirer's Gmail account, after which a user can then proceed to create a password. Records can then be obtained upon sign-in. Records are also obtainable on websites provided by private service providers.
Courts in Madison County
The Madison County court system is classified into five types of courts namely district courts, juvenile courts, circuit courts, probate courts, and municipal courts. The major courthouses in Madison County are:
Madison County Courthouse
100 Northside Square
Huntsville, AL 35801
Phone: (256) 532-3300
Madison County Municipal Court
100 Hughes Road
Madison, AL 35758
Phone: (256) 772-5617
Fax: (256) 464-9596
