Answers verified against official agency websites and state statutes. Note: County-level FAQ — applies to all of Jefferson County. No city-specific FAQ is available yet — the answers below apply to the broader jurisdiction.
❓How can I find out if someone has an outstanding warrant in Birmingham?▼
Birmingham warrants come from one of two places: the City of Birmingham (Birmingham Municipal Court / Birmingham PD) or the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
**Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (Sheriff Mark Pettway)**
- Headquarters: 2200 Rev Abraham Woods, Jr., Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Main phone: 205-325-5700
- Tip line: 205-325-1450
- Crime Stoppers: 205-254-7777
- Email: info@jeffcosheriffal.com
**Jefferson County is unusual** — it has TWO court divisions (Birmingham and Bessemer) with separate warrant offices:
- Birmingham warrants: handled out of the main HQ at 2200 Rev Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd
- Bessemer warrants/civil division: 1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020
- Bessemer Court covers Bessemer Cutoff cases — geographically the western/southwestern part of the county
**For Birmingham city warrants** (municipal court level):
- Birmingham PD Records Division: 205-254-6308
- Public records request via City Clerk
**Realistic process:**
1. Most Alabama sheriffs' offices won't release warrant info to the public over the phone — privacy policy. Jefferson County is no exception.
2. **Court-level confirmation works:** if you know which court issued it, the Circuit Clerk or Municipal Court Clerk can confirm whether the warrant is still active.
3. **Online docket search:** alacourt.gov shows case status, which often reveals whether a bench warrant has been issued in an active case.
4. **For yourself:** if you suspect a warrant on yourself, talk to a Birmingham defense attorney first. Walking into the courthouse to "check on it" without representation often ends with you in custody.
**Jefferson County Jails** (where someone with a served warrant ends up):
- Birmingham County Jail: 809 Richard Arrington Jr., Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Bessemer County Jail: 1822 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020
❓How do I locate someone using public records in Jefferson County?▼
Jefferson County is the largest county in Alabama (Birmingham is the seat) and has the deepest set of online tools for finding someone through public records.
**1. Property records (best for verified residential addresses)**
- Jefferson County Tax Assessor: Gaynell Hendricks
- Address: 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Phone: 205-325-5505 (Tax Assessor) / 205-325-5500 (Tax Administration)
- Free real property search: eringcapture.jccal.org/propsearch
- Land Records (Probate Court / "Record Room"): jeffcoprobatecourt.com/land-records
- Returns: owner name, parcel ID, address, valuation, tax history
**2. Court records (recent addresses + case history)**
- Free statewide search: alacourt.gov
- Jefferson County has TWO courthouses:
- Birmingham: 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N
- Bessemer: 1801 3rd Avenue North
- Civil filings often list a person's address at filing time — useful for finding someone who's been sued or sued someone
**3. Voter registration (Alabama is a public-record state for voter rolls)**
- Confirm registration: myinfo.alabamavotes.gov (need name + DOB)
- Bulk voter file: request from Alabama Secretary of State; some restrictions apply
**4. Sheriff & jail records (if they're currently incarcerated)**
- Jefferson County Sheriff inmate search at jeffcosheriffal.com
- Two jails — Birmingham (809 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N) and Bessemer (1822 2nd Ave N)
**5. Public records request portals**
- City of Birmingham: birminghamal.gov public records request
- Jefferson County Public Information: jccal.org/Default.asp?ID=2416
- ALEA records: al.accessgov.com/alea-records-request
**Practical tip for Jefferson County specifically:** because the county has the Birmingham/Bessemer split, a search that comes up empty on the Birmingham side might show up in Bessemer (or vice versa). If your first search misses, check the other division — it's a common gotcha for first-time searchers.
**One thing public records won't give you:** current phone numbers, current employer, or anything about a minor.
🔍How do I run a background check in Birmingham?▼
Birmingham (in Jefferson County) has more options than most Alabama cities — three legitimate paths.
**Path 1 — City-level check (Birmingham only)**
The Birmingham Police Department Records Division actually runs city-only background checks for $10.
- Birmingham PD Records Division: 205-254-6308
- $10.00 fee, available within 1–3 business days
- Picked up in person with proper ID
- Covers Birmingham city only — won't catch records from other Alabama jurisdictions
**Path 2 — Statewide official check (ALEA)**
For an Alabama-wide criminal history through the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency:
- Cost: $25.00 first copy, $5.00 each additional
- Fingerprint-based — submit at 301 S. Ripley Street, Montgomery, AL 36104 (in person) or PO Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511 (by mail)
- Phone: 1-866-740-4762 or 334-676-7897
- Turnaround: a few days to a couple weeks
**Path 3 — Court-level case search (free)**
For a quick name-based criminal case lookup:
- Alabama Unified Judicial System: alacourt.gov — free, statewide, name-based
- Good enough for "did this person have any criminal cases in Alabama?"
- Not certified, not FCRA-compliant, but useful for personal due diligence
**Important — for employment use:** none of the above paths is FCRA-compliant on its own. Federal law requires you to use a licensed Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) for employment, tenant screening, or credit decisions. Running a self-service check and using it to deny someone a job is a federal violation.
**Birmingham PD also offers:**
- Fingerprints: $10.00
- Fingerprint Cards: $10.00
- Accident reports: $10.00
- Incident/Offense reports: $10.00
- Archived reports (pre-2013 incident, pre-2015 accident): $25.00
- Payment: cash, debit, money order, company check (no personal checks)
❓How can I find out if someone has an outstanding warrant in Opelika?▼
Opelika is the Lee County seat. Warrants here come from one of two places: the Opelika Police Department (city-level) or the Lee County Sheriff (county-level and unincorporated). Verified live today.
**Lee County Sheriff's Office**
- Address: 1900 Frederick Rd, Opelika, AL 36801
- Mailing: PO Box 688, Opelika, AL 36803-0688
- Phone: 334-749-5651 (main), 334-737-7022 (alt)
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM CST
- Records request: leecosheriffal.gov/recordsrequest (downloadable form)
**Opelika Police Department**
- Address: 501 South 10th Street, Opelika, AL 36801 (mail to 36803)
- Records Division: 334-705-5295
- Public records request line: 334-705-5110
- Email: rjones@opelika-al.gov
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
**The Alabama-specific reality:** the Lee County Sheriff's Office takes a slightly different approach than most Alabama agencies. Per the Sheriff's policy and the county magistrate office: **if someone suspects a warrant has been issued against them, they must appear in person at the Lee County Sheriff's Department.** They will not confirm warrants by phone for privacy and operational reasons.
**For a court-level confirmation:** the Lee County Circuit Clerk can verify whether a specific warrant tied to a known case is still active. Statewide docket: alacourt.gov
**Watch out for scams:** Lee County has actively warned about scammers calling residents claiming to be deputies and saying there's a warrant for missing jury duty. **Real deputies do not collect fines or warrant payments by phone.** If you get such a call, hang up and contact the Sheriff's office directly.
**If the warrant is on you:** consult a Lee County defense attorney before walking into the Sheriff's department. The 30-minute consult is cheaper than getting booked without representation.
🏠Where do I find a deed or property record in Alabama?▼
In Alabama, deeds and recorded property documents are filed at the **county Probate Office** (the office that doubles as the recorder), and assessment/tax data is at the **county Revenue Commissioner** or Tax Assessor (in Mobile, Jefferson, and a few others, separate Tax Assessor and Tax Collector offices). Most counties have free online search portals: Jefferson (jeffcoprobatecourt.com — fees $84.50 first copy, $28 standard recording), Mobile (probate.mobilecountyal.gov — deed tax $0.50 per $500 value), Baldwin (baldwincountyal.gov/government/probate-office/recording — $5 archive fee, $1 per name after two), Madison, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa (tuscco.com — $5 minimum filing). Statewide deed tax is $1.00 per $1,000 of value, rounded up. Bring an Alabama Real Estate Sales Validation form when filing a new deed — recording without it is rejected. Certified copies typically run $1–$3 per page. Online deed images normally go back to the 1990s; older books (often handwritten) require an in-person visit to the courthouse. Sources: Jefferson Probate (jeffcoprobatecourt.com), Mobile Probate, Baldwin County, Tuscaloosa County, Limestone County.
💍Where do I look up a marriage license in Eufaula?▼
Same August 2019 rule change applies here. There are no marriage *licenses* in Alabama anymore — only marriage *certificates* filed with the Probate Office.
**For a current marriage filing (post-August 2019):**
Barbour County has two probate locations. The Eufaula office handles the southern half of the county:
- **Eufaula Probate Office** — 405 E Barbour Street, Eufaula, AL 36027 · 334-687-1530
- Mailing address: PO Box 758, Eufaula, AL 36072
To file: complete the Alabama Marriage Certificate form, get it notarized, and file with payment within 30 days. Form available at alabamapublichealth.gov/vitalrecords/marriage-certificates.html
**For a search of existing records:**
- Online search through the Barbour County system: ingprobate.com/barbour_probate — has both probate case records and marriage records
- For a certified copy from the state: Alabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics — $15.00 first copy (records back to August 1936) · 334-206-5418
**Pre-1936 marriages:** must come from the Barbour County Probate Office directly — the state didn't centralize records before then.
**Note on what's actually in the index:** the online search returns names and dates. For legal use (name change, immigration, estate work), you need the certified copy with the seal — that comes from either Probate or ADPH, not the online index.