Find Russell County Circuit Court Cases

Russell County Circuit Court Overview

Russell County forms Alabama's 26th Judicial Circuit. Circuit Court is the county's primary trial court and court of general jurisdiction. Presiding Circuit Judge A. David Johnson and Circuit Judge Zachary T. Collins hear the work assigned to this level. The court sits at the Russell County Judicial Center with the Circuit Clerk and District Court.

The official Circuit Civil page describes jurisdiction over civil actions above the statutory range and related concurrent jurisdiction with District Court.

Alabama Code Section 12-11-30 places civil actions over $20,000 within Circuit Court's exclusive original jurisdiction and gives Circuit Court concurrent original jurisdiction with District Court for civil actions over $6,000.

Circuit Court also handles domestic relations, including divorce, and equity matters such as requests for injunctions. It hears appeals from District, Municipal, and Juvenile Courts when Alabama law does not provide a different direct route. The resulting appeal can create a Circuit Court file even though the dispute began below.

Russell County Courts and Judges

Russell County does not label its Circuit Court by numbered divisions. The full local trial-level list instead identifies the court, assigned judge or official, court type, address, and direct phone from the official judge directory. Postal box numbers differ by judge, but all listed Circuit and District judges work through the Judicial Center location.

The Circuit Clerk, Jody Sellers, maintains Circuit and District Court records at 501 14th Street and can be reached at 334-298-0516. Her office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. The Probate and Municipal courts have their own offices and record routes.

Compare Russell County Trial Courts

The word "county" describes the location, not a separate County Court level in Alabama. Russell County instead has Circuit, District, Probate, and Municipal courts. The court that created the record controls where the case should be searched. This comparison uses only jurisdiction stated in the county research.

Probate Court should not be used for divorce files merely because it records marriage certificates. Divorce belongs to Circuit Court's Domestic Relations division. Likewise, a Phenix City police ticket goes to Municipal Court, while a Russell County state traffic ticket goes to District Court.

Russell County Circuit Criminal Cases

The Circuit Criminal division cites Alabama Code Section 12-11-30. Circuit Court has exclusive original jurisdiction over felony prosecutions. It also hears a misdemeanor or ordinance violation when the offense is a lesser included offense within a felony charge or arose from the same incident as a felony charge.

This jurisdiction link explains why one incident may place felony and related misdemeanor counts in the same Russell County Circuit Court file.

A Circuit Court criminal record may contain an indictment, arraignment, plea, motions, hearing entries, orders, disposition, sentence, fines, costs, probation, and appeal filings. An arrest or jail booking is a different source record. Once charges are filed in court, the Circuit Clerk preserves the judicial case file. Sealed or expunged matters and confidential identifiers remain outside normal public access.

District Court Below Russell Circuit

District Court is the limited-jurisdiction trial court below Circuit Court. The Russell County District Civil page states that District Court hears civil actions up to $20,000 and eviction or unlawful detainer cases where a lease or rental agreement exists.

Small claims and the C-88 Statement of Claim are also part of the District Civil record path.

The District Criminal division cites Alabama Code Section 12-12-32 for misdemeanor jurisdiction and felony preliminary hearings.

Municipal prosecutions, misdemeanors tied to felonies, and misdemeanors indicted by a grand jury are exceptions to ordinary District Court misdemeanor jurisdiction.

District Court can accept certain felony guilty pleas and conduct preliminary hearings. A preliminary hearing tests whether there is enough cause to continue a felony prosecution. It is not the felony trial itself. Appeals from District Court may proceed to Russell County Circuit Court as allowed by law.

Russell County Circuit Case Flow

A case path depends on subject matter. A felony can begin with arrest, warrant, or complaint work and pass through District Court for a preliminary hearing before Circuit Court handles the felony prosecution. A civil suit can start in Circuit Court if its claim falls within Circuit jurisdiction. A lower-court appeal begins in District, Municipal, or Juvenile Court before a Circuit Court appeal file opens.

Felony flow: Arrest or warrant › First appearance › District Court preliminary hearing when held › Grand jury indictment › Circuit Court arraignment › Pretrial proceedings › Plea or trial › Disposition and sentence › Criminal appeal

Civil flow: Complaint filed › Service › Answer › Motions and discovery › Hearing or trial › Judgment › Post-judgment filings › Civil appeal

Lower-court appeal: District or Municipal judgment › Appeal filed under applicable law › Russell County Circuit Court record › Circuit disposition › State appellate review when available

Each step can add a docket entry or document. A setting date is one scheduled event; it is not the full court record. The full file may show pleadings, notices, orders, evidence-related motions, judgment, and later enforcement activity.

Search Russell County Circuit Records

The Russell County Circuit Clerk supports several access paths. The free county docket search uses a setting date and optional last name, but warns that some cases may not appear. Just One Look offers paid on-demand Alabama trial court information. A public access computer in the Judicial Annex lobby gives free access to case information and document images during regular business hours.

1. Confirm whether the case belongs to Circuit, District, Probate, or Phenix City Municipal Court.
2. Use the docket page for a setting-date check or Just One Look for broader on-demand trial court details.
3. Visit the lobby terminal for free case and document-image access.
4. Ask the Circuit Clerk for research, copies, or certification when the file must be supplied by staff.

The clerk warns that request responses can be delayed because staffing is below 55 percent. Just One Look or the public terminal is the documented fallback when prompt access matters. To learn how the record office handles copies and divisions, see the Russell County Circuit Clerk profile.

Note: Some Circuit Court documents remain restricted because of juvenile confidentiality, sealing, expungement, protected identifiers, or sensitive family information.

Visit Russell County Circuit Court

Circuit Court and the Circuit Clerk are at the Russell County Judicial Center, 501 14th Street, Phenix City, AL 36867. The main office phone is 334-298-0516. Clerk hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern. People traveling from a Central Time area should account for the time-zone difference before a hearing or records visit.

The courthouse at 1000 Broad Street is a separate building used for Probate Court and county offices. Municipal Court is at 1111 Broad Street. The old courthouse in Seale is historic and is not the active Russell County Circuit Court records destination.