Tuscaloosa Criminal Court Records Lookup

If you live in Tuscaloosa and got charged with a crime, your file is with the county court system. The big court takes care of felonies. The smaller court handles misdemeanors. The city court only deals with local rule breaks, not real state crimes. Every sheet from your case, the charge forms, the motions, the judge's orders, sits at 714 Greensboro Avenue with the Circuit Clerk. They're open during the week from 8:30 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon. You can search for your case online through the AlacourtAccess portal, or you can just walk in and ask them to pull it for you in person. Both ways work, so pick what fits your day and your comfort level with computers.

Tuscaloosa County Criminal Court System

This city sits in Tuscaloosa County. A lot of people know it as the home of the University of Alabama, where the football team plays. But for court purposes, it's all about the county system. If you got charged with a crime, the county court handles your case. The main courthouse where all the files live is at 714 Greensboro Avenue right in the heart of downtown. That's where the clerks work, where the judges sit, and where you'll show up if you have a court date or need to dig up a record.

Pursuant to Alabama Code § 12-11-30, the Circuit Court has exclusive original jurisdiction over felony prosecutions. Alabama Code § 12-12-32 provides the District Court with jurisdiction over misdemeanor prosecutions. The Circuit Clerk's office maintains all criminal court records.

Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court (Felony Criminal Cases)

Tuscaloosa County District Court (Misdemeanor Criminal Cases)

Tuscaloosa County Court System website

Tuscaloosa Municipal Court

The city court here only deals with local rules you broke. It can't touch state crimes at all. What shows up in this court are traffic tickets the city issued, arraignments for city charges, and trials where they decide if you violated some ordinance the city council passed. Maybe you parked wrong. Maybe you were too loud. That kind of thing. But if you got charged with theft, assault, or drugs, that's a county court matter, not a city court one.

Tuscaloosa Municipal Court website

Real state crimes go to the county court. Felonies, misdemeanors. The county handles all that. The city court doesn't touch those cases. And the files are stored in different spots too. City court keeps its own stack. The Circuit Clerk keeps the county files. Don't mix them up or you'll waste time looking in the wrong place for what you need.

How to Access Tuscaloosa Criminal Court Records

You got a few ways to track down court files in this county. Some folks like to search online from home. Other folks walk into the courthouse and ask the clerk to pull what they need. Both ways work fine. The web option is fast if you know how to use it. The in-person route gives you someone to talk to who can help you find the right file. Pick what works for your day and your comfort level with computers.

AlacourtAccess.com Online Portal

AlacourtAccess.com is the primary state-run resource for accessing criminal court records online. This system provides access to all state trial court records in Alabama, including Tuscaloosa County criminal cases. Users can search by case number, party name, or other identifying information.

The Tuscaloosa County court system website at tuscaloosa.alacourt.gov also provides information about accessing court records. The Alacourt Access portal is available at pa.alacourt.com.

In-Person Record Requests

Criminal court records can be requested in person at the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse. The Circuit Clerk's office is located at 714 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Interested parties can request case files, court documents, and certified copies at the Clerk's counter. Proper identification and case information will facilitate the search process.

Public Records Requests

Public records requests for city documents can be submitted through the City Clerk's office. Requests can be made online at tuscaloosa.com/government/city-clerk/public-records-request.

What Information to Provide

When searching for criminal court records, provide the defendant's full name, date of birth, case number (if known), and approximate date of arrest or offense. More specific information allows for faster and more accurate searches.

University of Alabama Law School Clinics

The law school at the University of Alabama runs several free legal clinics for folks who live here. These aren't general help-with-anything clinics. Each one focuses on a specific type of legal problem. One clinic deals with domestic violence cases. Another one helps with mediation when people are trying to settle a dispute without going to full trial. There's even one for small business owners and nonprofits who need legal advice but can't afford to hire a private lawyer. So if your problem fits one of those categories, you might qualify for free help from law students who are supervised by real attorneys.

Domestic Violence Law Clinic

Mediation Law Clinic

Entrepreneurship & Nonprofit Clinic

The University of Alabama School of Law clinics offer specialized legal services not widely available elsewhere in the state. These clinics are staffed by law students under the supervision of licensed attorneys.

Legal Framework for Criminal Court Records

Alabama Code § 36-12-40 establishes the right of citizens to inspect and copy public records, including criminal court records. This statute provides that every resident has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public record of this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by applicable law.

The Alabama Rules of Court-Record Privacy and Confidentiality became effective January 1, 2025. These Rules apply to all Alabama courts and establish procedures for balancing public access to court records with individual privacy interests.

Alabama Code § 12-17-94 requires circuit court clerks to keep consolidated docket sheets of criminal cases, including the names of parties, the character of the offense, and the names of attorneys. Clerks must maintain all papers, books, dockets, and records with care and security.

Expungement of Criminal Records

Alabama Code § 15-27-1 governs expungement of misdemeanor records. Persons charged with misdemeanors may petition to expunge records when charges are dismissed with prejudice, no billed by a grand jury, the person is found not guilty, or charges are nolle prossed without conditions and not refiled. Persons convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors may qualify for expungement if all probation requirements have been completed, all fines paid in full, and three years have elapsed from the date of conviction. Only two misdemeanor convictions can be expunged in Alabama.

Alabama Code § 15-27-2 addresses felony record expungement. Expungement is available when felony charges are dismissed, no billed, or the person is found not guilty. For convicted felons, expungement requires a certificate of pardon with restoration of civil and political rights from the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

The administrative filing fee for expungement petitions is $500, as provided in Alabama Code § 15-27-4. The court may waive fees if it made a clear judicial finding that the arrest had no foundation of probable cause.

Fees for Criminal Court Records

If you want an official copy with the clerk's stamp on it, the county will charge you a fee. The price shifts based on what you ask for and how thick the file is. One page costs less than ten. Ten pages cost less than a hundred. You get the idea. The thicker the stack, the more you pay. So if you're on a tight budget, ask at the clerk window what your total bill will be before they start pulling files and running the copier.

The clerk desk keeps a full list of what each service costs. They'll tell you the price to find a file, make copies, or stamp it official. You can pay with cash if you have it. Check works. Money order works. Most clerks take credit cards now too, which is nice if you don't carry cash like you used to. Just bring one of those payment options and you'll be fine when it's time to settle the bill.

Indigent persons may request fee waivers by demonstrating financial hardship through appropriate court procedures.

Federal Criminal Cases in Tuscaloosa

Federal criminal cases involving Tuscaloosa residents are handled by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The Tuscaloosa Division is housed in the Richard Shelby Federal Building and Courthouse.

The federal courthouse is part of the GSA's Design Excellence program and features 16 oil-painted panels by artist Caleb O'Connor depicting regional history in the second-floor atrium. The building houses the U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, U.S. Marshal Service, FBI, and Social Security Administration.

Free parking is available for jurors in the parking deck on 6th Street at 23rd Avenue. Note that there is no Clerk's Office at this location to accept filings.

Federal criminal cases include prosecutions under federal law such as drug trafficking, firearms offenses, fraud, and other federal crimes. Federal court records are available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system at pacer.uscourts.gov.

Legal Aid Resources in Tuscaloosa

Several organizations provide free or low-cost legal assistance to Tuscaloosa residents.

Legal Services Alabama - Tuscaloosa Office

Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program

Additional Resources

• Alabama Free Legal Answers (online Q&A with lawyers)
• Alabama Legal Help website (self-help forms and information)
• AlacourtAccess.com (access to all state trial court records in Alabama)
• University of Alabama Law Library resources
• Tuscaloosa County Bar Association

The University of Alabama School of Law offers multiple free legal clinics including specialized domestic violence and mediation services. Most legal aid organizations focus on civil legal matters.

Criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney are entitled to court-appointed counsel under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The court will appoint an attorney for defendants who qualify financially.

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