Alabama Public Records & County Directory

How Public Records Are Organized in Alabama

Public records in Alabama are spread across several layers of government. State agencies maintain centralized systems that summarize information about prisons, appellate decisions, property tax rules, and unclaimed financial assets. County offices, such as probate judges, clerks of court, and recorders, keep many of the day-to-day records that residents need for background checks, title work, and personal paperwork. Understanding which level holds the record helps prevent wasted searches and incomplete results.

Official custody usually rests with the office that created or filed the record. Trial court case files, marriage licenses, and most land documents are stored in the county where the event happened or the property sits, even when a state portal shows a summary. Users who need certified copies or the most complete version of a file should use the county directory below to identify the right local custodian.

Accessing Official Alabama State Resources

Statewide portals are the easiest place to begin a search because they can be used from any device and cover all Alabama counties at once. Residents can look up basic information on incarcerated individuals, check whether money is being held in their name, and review general property tax guidance without calling each courthouse separately. This hub points to those official tools so users can decide where to look next.

The Alabama Department of Corrections offers an online Alabama Department of Corrections Inmate Search that lists adults currently in state prison, while the Treasurer’s office runs the Alabama Unclaimed Property Search for funds like dormant bank accounts, insurance payments, and utility refunds. These systems provide convenient statewide indexes, but not every detail or historical record.

State systems often omit document images, older case histories, or certified copies required for court, lending, or immigration purposes. Trial-level pleadings, full financial ledgers, and many local tax and licensing records are kept by county clerks, recorders, and revenue offices. Users should treat statewide portals as a map of what exists, then use the county directory on this page to contact the office that holds the official file.

Alabama Inmate Search and Prison Records

People searching statewide prison records can start with the guidance in Inmate Search, which explains how Alabama’s correctional system organizes information. State prisons are run by the Alabama Department of Corrections, while short-term holds, recent arrests, and many warrant details are handled by county sheriffs and municipal jails. Understanding whether a person is in long-term state custody or local jail helps decide which systems to use.

The Alabama Department of Corrections maintains an online Inmate Search that focuses on adults currently incarcerated in state facilities, identified by an Alabama Institutional Serial number or by name. Users who do not find a match there may need to check county jail rosters, booking logs, or victim notification systems, using the county directory below to locate each sheriff or local corrections office.

Court Records, Dockets, and Getting Case Files

People researching Alabama cases can use the overview in Court Records to understand how dockets, indexes, and files relate. Statewide systems summarize activity in trial and appellate courts, but they do not replace the county clerk’s office that manages the official paper or electronic case file. Knowing which court handled the matter is essential before ordering documents or visiting a courthouse.

For many state trial courts, the paid Alacourt online case access system offers name and case-number searches, while the Alabama Appellate Courts Public Portal indexes appellate dockets and certain filings. These tools are helpful for checking status, parties, and scheduled hearings before contacting a clerk for copies.

County clerks of court keep the underlying pleadings, exhibits, and orders, and they issue certified copies that carry legal weight. Archived case files, older criminal dockets, and many traffic or small claims matters may never appear online. Users who need full documentation should use the county directory to identify the trial court clerk where the case was filed and request records directly from that office.

Alabama Unclaimed Property and Financial Assets

Researching money held in your name starts with the statewide tools covered in Property Search, not with county deed books. Alabama’s unclaimed property program collects dormant accounts, unpaid insurance benefits, utility deposits, and similar financial assets after businesses lose contact with the owner. Those assets remain in state custody until a person or heir files a verified claim using official instructions.

The official Alabama Unclaimed Property Search lets users search by name, city, or zip code, select matching accounts, and start a claim. Guidance on completing the process, including documentation and claim tracking, is available through the site’s How to Search and Claim information pages.

Real estate ownership, mortgages, and deed histories are not managed by the unclaimed property program. Those records are recorded in county probate, recorder, or register of deeds offices, and value is determined by local assessment staff. Depending on the county, the assessment function may appear under titles such as Assessor, Property Appraiser, Auditor, Tax Commissioner, or Assessor-Collector, all of which can be located using the county directory on this page.

Alabama Property Tax Assessment and Valuation

Understanding how valuations work can start with the overview in Property Tax, which explains state rules without replacing local advice. The Alabama Department of Revenue’s Property Tax Division sets standards for equalizing values, outlines property classifications, and publishes information on homestead and other exemptions. State guidance is meant to help counties apply the same framework while still handling billing and collection locally.

The statewide Property Tax Division website explains how assessments are calculated, links to forms, and lists county offices. More detail on assessment formulas, including property classes and millage rates, appears on the Property Tax Assessment pages, which illustrate how appraised value is converted into an assessed amount before local rates are applied.

County revenue commissioners, tax collectors, or treasurers send property tax bills, receive payments, and issue receipts for local accounts. Many questions about due dates, partial payments, and delinquent status can only be answered by the county that mailed the bill. Users should rely on statewide guidance to understand how values are calculated, then use the county directory to contact the office that manages their specific parcel.