Limestone County, Alabama Court Records
Limestone County court records can be in any format, including paper, written, and typed documents; letters; electronic information; and electronically stored data. They are records that pertain to, belong to, or were filed by an Appellate, Circuit, District, Juvenile, Small Claims, Municipal, or Probate Court.
Court records, as well as several other government-collated records in Limestone County, including arrest records, vital statistics, and business filings, are considered public records. Each is maintained by the appropriate agencies, with court records being managed by the respective court clerk.
Are Limestone County Court Records Public?
Yes. Several laws govern access to Limestone County court records. Alabama Code § 41-13-1 states that court records are part of public records, and under Alabama Code § 36-12-40 (Alabama Public Records Law), public records can be inspected and copied by members of the public. Additionally, under Alabama Rules of Court-Records Privacy and Confidentiality (Rule 104), court records are open to the public.
However, not all court records are public. According to Rule 201, court records redacted from public access include documents or information designated as privileged or confidential by state or federal law, another court rule, or court order. Trade secrets, audio recordings of 911 telephone calls, reports of an adult probation officer to a municipal court, court notices of child-delinquency adjudication and disposition, abuse and neglect files and records, and records of individuals convicted but later pardoned are excluded from public access.
Confidential information exempt from public access may be provided only to persons or organizations designated by state or federal law.
What Information is Available in Limestone County Court Records?
Court records encompass various documents and details relating to a case, from its initiation through its resolution. A Limestone County court record may include the case type, case number, the date the case was filed, the names of those involved, transcripts of court proceedings, evidence presented, the docket sheet, court orders, sentencing information, and the final disposition of the case.
Limestone County Court Records Search
Apart from serving as the administrative arm of the court, the clerk's office operates as the official record keeper of all court records produced in the county. Court records provided by the clerk to the public encompass civil, criminal, child support, domestic, traffic, juvenile, and warrant records. These records are available through online, in-person, and mail processes.
Trial court case records for counties in Alabama are available through the state's case management system, Alacourt ACCESS (Just One Look). To access case records through this channel, inquirers must create an account if they do not have one, as only registered persons may access these cases. Dockets are also available in the database, which can be searched by name or case number. Using the case management system incurs a nominal fee.
Not all cases are available through the case management system due to statutory reasons. Where this is the case, members of the public who want to inspect or retrieve court case information can go to the courthouse where the case was tried. Inquirers can also contact the clerk's office to inquire about the case or obtain copies.
Lastly, sending a written request for a case record is another alternative to online searches and in-person inspection. The search, processing, and mailing of the record back to the requester incur a fee. This option requires the inquirer to provide as many details as possible so that the Circuit Clerk or other relevant court office can locate the correct record.
Fees for Court Records in Limestone County
The fees one accrues in the course of performing a Limestone court record search depend on the type of court record. In accordance with Title 12, Chapter 19, Article 2, Code of Alabama, the following fees may apply for court record searches or retrieval:
- Image of document: $5 for the first 20 pages and 50 cents for each additional page
- Terminal printouts at the courthouse: 10 cents
- Standard search: $5
- Copy of record: 50 cents to $1
Case search through Alacourt ACCESS:
- District case: $19.99
- Circuit case: $29.99
Limestone County Courthouse Locations
There are four types of trial courts located in Limestone County: the Circuit, District, Probate, and Municipal Courts. Each court has jurisdiction to hear different cases:
|
Circuit Court |
District Court |
Probate Court |
Municipal Court |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Some of the cases the Circuit Court has jurisdiction to hear include civil cases of up to $10,000, felonies, and domestic relations. |
The District Court has jurisdiction to handle civil cases with claims between $3,000 and $10,000, preliminary hearings for felonies, misdemeanors, and juvenile cases. |
Wills, estates, adoptions, conservatorships, and guardianships are handled by this court. |
City ordinances and traffic violations are handled by this court. |
These courts are located at the following addresses:
Circuit Court
Limestone County Courthouse
200 West Washington Street
Athens, AL 35611
Phone: (256) 233-6406
Fax: (256) 232-0764
District Court
Limestone County Courthouse
200 West Washington Street,
Athens, AL 35611
Phone: (256) 233-6406
Fax: (256) 232-0764
Probate Court
Clinton Street Courthouse Annex
100 South Clinton Street
Suite D, Athens, AL 35611
Phone: (256) 233-6427
Fax: (256) 233-6474
Municipal Courts
Ardmore Municipal Court
26494 1st Street
Ardmore, AL 35739
Phone: (256) 423-3011
Athens Municipal Court
951 East Hobbs Street
Athens, AL 35611
Phone: (256) 233-8733
Fax: (256) 233-6889
Criminal Records Access in Limestone County
Inquirers can obtain a criminal record from the judiciary or law enforcement, depending on the information they need.
Criminal Records Maintained by Law Enforcement
Criminal history records are comprehensive documents maintained by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). They provide a statewide summary of an individual's criminal activities, court proceedings, and disposition. The process of requesting a copy of one's criminal history record is called a background check. Only authorized individuals, parties to a case, their attorneys, and other authorized entities may request a background check.
All inquiries in this regard are handled by the agency's Record Check Section. Requesters must complete the request form, pay the required fee, and forward the request to the agency.
Access to criminal history records per Ala. Code 1975, 27-9A-17, 27-25-4.6, and 41-9-642 is restricted
Criminal Records Maintained by the Judiciary
Unlike criminal history records, criminal case records are generally public and are maintained by the court clerk. As records of the court handling the case, they are made available to the public through different channels:
- Online through the state's management system
- In person at the courthouse
- In person at the clerk's office
- Through mail requests
Each procedure is unique to the channel chosen.
Limestone County Probate Records
Probate hearings, including those involving wills, estates, adoptions, conservatorships, and guardianship, take place in the Probate Court in Limestone County. The resulting records are maintained by the court clerk. Limestone County probate records, such as estate files, inventories, property transfers, mortgages, marriage licenses, and other documents, are public under state law. However, some probate records, including living wills filed in a probate court and adoption records, are confidential.
Public probate records in the county can be retrieved:
- In person: At the probate court clerk's office, especially when older records or certified copies are needed.
- By mail: Written inquiries can be sent to the clerk of the Probate Court.
- Online: Through the online case management system.
Limestone County Family Court Records
Family law cases in Limestone County, including divorce, child support, spousal support, child custody, child visitation, and related matters, are handled by the county's Circuit Court, and the circuit clerk's office keeps the records of these cases.
Family records involving minors under the provisions of Rule 201 of the Alabama Rules of Court Records Privacy and Confidentiality, as well as the Public Records Law, are redacted from the public and treated as confidential. Also, any record that contains sensitive information, including financial details, bank statements, and related records, is not available for public perusal. However, other Limestone County family records are public records and can be retrieved through the Alabama Court ACCESS case management system, by mail, or in person at the clerk's office. Inquirers would need to provide identifying details to help locate the case.
Certified copies of public Limestone County family court records can be procured from the clerk's office.
Federal Court Records in Limestone County
The record of a court proceeding handled by a federal court automatically becomes a federal court record, regardless of the county from which the case originated. Limestone County cases that fall beyond state or local jurisdiction and into federal jurisdiction are handled by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Cases handled by federal courts, including the Northern District of Alabama, are available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system or the Office of the Court Clerk. Inquirers can send a written request by mail or visit the clerk's office in person.
