Montgomery County Divorce Records Search

Divorce records in Montgomery County are kept by the Circuit Court Clerk. The office is at the Phelps-Price Justice Center in downtown Montgomery. This is the state capital. It's one of Alabama's biggest counties with about 230,000 people. Montgomery County handles a lot of divorce cases each year. The 15th Judicial Circuit covers the county. The courthouse sees steady traffic. People filing for divorce. People looking up old cases. You can search cases online through Alacourt ACCESS. Or go to the clerk's office in person. Montgomery is also where the state vital records office is located. That makes it handy if you need both court records and divorce certificates.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk handles all divorce filings here. This is where you get copies of divorce decrees. You can look up case files and get documents from divorce proceedings. The office is in the Phelps-Price Justice Center. That's the main courthouse in downtown Montgomery. It's near the state capitol.

Note: the office closes at 4:30 PM. That's earlier than some other courthouses. Get there with time to spare. Also, the mailing address is different. Use the PO Box for mail.

How to Search Montgomery County Divorce Records

Online Search

The easiest way to look up cases is through Alacourt ACCESS at pa.alacourt.com. This is the statewide system. It costs $9.99 per search. Look up by name or case number. You'll see basic details. Names, case type, filing date, and outcome. You can see if a divorce is done or still pending. Want documents? That's $5 more for the first 20 pages.

The online system is good for quick lookups. It helps you find case numbers. But it won't give you everything. Some old cases don't have all documents scanned. Sealed records won't show up at all. For full files or certified copies, call the clerk.

In-Person Request

Go to the Phelps-Price Justice Center during business hours. Bring both names. Have a rough date if you can. Staff can search while you wait. For recent cases, they print copies on the spot. Older cases in storage take a day or two.

The courthouse is downtown near the state capitol. Street parking is limited. There are garages nearby. Go through security when you enter. The clerk's office is on the fourth floor.

Mail Request

Can't make it to Montgomery? Send a letter to the PO Box address. Include both names and the divorce date. Tell them what documents you need. Add your phone number and address. Include a check or money order for the fees.

Mail takes longer. Expect a week or two. Maybe longer for old cases. The clerk will call you if fees are different. Or if they need more info to find the right case.

Fees

Montgomery County charges standard fees. Regular copies cost about $1 per page. Certified copies are around $5 plus page fees. You need certified copies for legal stuff. Remarriage, name changes, proving divorce in other courts. Search fees apply if you don't have the case number. Call (334) 832-1260 for current amounts.

What's in Montgomery County Divorce Records

Montgomery County keeps full files for every divorce. What's inside depends on the case. Were there kids? Did they fight over property? Here's what you might find.

Divorce Decree

The decree is the final judgment. A judge signs it to end the marriage. It has all the court's final orders. Property split, support, and custody. You need a certified copy to prove you're divorced. Banks and government agencies ask for this. So do courts in other states.

Divorce Petition

This is what started the case. It shows who filed and why. Alabama allows no-fault divorce. Fault-based grounds work too. The petition has basic info about the marriage. Any kids. What the filing spouse wanted. Property and custody asks.

Property and Debt Division

These show how the couple split their stuff. Could be in the decree or a separate agreement. Who got the house, cars, and bank accounts. Retirement funds and furniture too. It also shows who took what debts. Mortgages, car loans, credit cards. These details matter if there's ever a fight later.

Child Custody Orders

If kids under 18 were involved, the file has custody stuff. Who has physical custody. Visitation schedules. Who makes decisions about school and doctors. Child support amounts and payment schedules are in there too. These orders can change later. Life changes, so orders get modified. The file might have several versions.

Temporary Orders

These are orders made while the case was open. Who stays in the house. Temporary custody. Temporary support. The final decree replaces these. But they stay in the file as part of the case history.

Motions and Other Filings

Other papers filed during the case. Motions for discovery. Requests for hearings. Responses to filings. Deals between the parties. Contested divorces have thick files. Uncontested ones are usually thin.

Free Legal Help in Montgomery County

Doing a divorce on your own is hard. It gets worse if you have kids or stuff to split up. Can't pay for a lawyer? These groups help people who qualify.

Montgomery Volunteer Lawyers Program

The local bar group has a volunteer lawyer program. Attorneys give their time for free to help with family law. That includes divorce. They can walk you through the steps. Help fill out forms. Sometimes they'll even show up in court with you. You have to meet income rules to get in.

Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program

The state bar also runs a VLP that serves all of Alabama. They can connect you with an attorney who handles divorce cases.

Legal Services Alabama

They help low-income folks with civil legal stuff. Divorce, custody, and domestic violence cases. Free if you qualify.

Phone: (866) 456-4995

Family Sunshine Center

Is domestic violence part of your case? Family Sunshine Center can help. They do protective orders. They have legal advocates who know the court system.

24-Hour Crisis Line: (334) 206-2100

Alabama Center for Health Statistics

Montgomery has a big advantage. The state vital records office is right here. It's called the Alabama Center for Health Statistics. They issue divorce certificates for all Alabama divorces from 1950 on. A certificate is different from court records. It's simpler. Just verifies the divorce happened. Shows names, date, and county. No property or custody details.

Need to verify a divorce from anywhere in Alabama? You can get it from this office. No need to travel to the county where it was filed. Handy if you're in Montgomery. Or if the divorce happened far away. The certificate works for many things. But for details about property or custody, you need the full court file from the county.

Cities in Montgomery County

Montgomery County has the city of Montgomery plus smaller towns. All divorce records go through the Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk. Montgomery is the county seat. It's the only city over 100,000 people here.

Other areas include Pike Road and some unincorporated spots. Note: Prattville is actually in Autauga County. Millbrook is in Autauga or Elmore. Check which county before you search. Pike Road is in Montgomery County.

Nearby Counties

Need records from a neighboring county? Here are the counties next to Montgomery.

Montgomery, Elmore, and Autauga make up the metro area. People often live in one county and work in another. Divorce filings depend on where the couple lived. Not sure which county? Try Alacourt ACCESS. It searches all Alabama counties at once.