Names of many Alabama residents are found in district and county court records. Civil court actions include disputes over property and the settlement of estates. Criminal court actions include confrontations, thefts, and destruction of property. These records may give a person’s age, residence, occupation, and family relationships. Sometimes friends and neighbors may have given depositions as witnesses. Court records include dockets, minutes, case files, and orders. Land, tax, and probate matters may be included.

Major Alabama courts that kept records of genealogical value were established as follows:

1807–1972	Justice of the peace courts. These courts were originally established in 1807 under the Mississippi Territory. They kept records of minor civil and criminal cases.
1809–1818	Superior courts of law and equity. These courts were first established under the Mississippi Territory. They had jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases and divorces from 1809 to 1818, at which time their jurisdiction was given to the circuit courts. The first superior courts were established by Mississippi Territory legislation in 1809.
1818–present	County courts. These are countywide courts, also known as inferior courts, intermediate courts, civil courts, criminal courts, and law and juvenile courts. They keep records of civil and criminal cases.
1819–present	Circuit courts. These are countywide courts that have jurisdiction over felonies, major criminal and civil cases, and appeals from inferior courts.
1900s–present	Records courts. These are sometimes referred to as municipal courts, city courts, mayors’ courts, and town courts. They are established in cities with a population of 1,000 or more. These courts keep records of minor civil and criminal cases occurring within the city.
1821–1915	Commissioners’ courts. This court levied the county tax and laid out and discontinued roads, bridges and highways.
1839–1915	Chancery courts. These courts had jurisdiction over divorces. After1915 the jurisdiction for divorces was given to the circuit courts. The chancery and circuit court records are kept by the same clerk in less populated counties.