Alabama
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Alabama — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Alabama
Alabama's courts run an e-forms portal with do-it-yourself divorce forms — including the divorce complaint, answer, and default judgment forms. Start there before anything else.
Alabama Courts — E-Forms: Divorce
The official starting point: do-it-yourself divorce forms from the Administrative Office of Courts.
eforms.alacourt.gov — divorce forms →Find a divorce lawyer
Alabama State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
Toll-free 1-800-392-5660 (Mon–Fri, 8:30–11:30am and 1:30–4:30pm), or request a referral online 24/7. No more than $50 for an initial 30-minute consultation.
alabar.org — get legal help →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Legal Services Alabama
Free civil legal aid statewide, with 8 offices. Call center: 866-456-4995 (Mon–Fri, 8:30–4:30).
legalservicesalabama.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Alabama has no single statewide hotline — reports go to your county DHR office or law enforcement. Find your county office here.
dhr.alabama.gov — county offices →HUD-Approved Housing Counselors
Alabama's state homeowner assistance programs have closed — HUD-approved counselors remain the verified free option for foreclosure help. Call 800-569-4287.
hud.gov — Alabama housing resources →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in Alabama
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Alabama.
Where to go
no state agency — file with the federal Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division
Time limit to file
2 years (FLSA; 3 for willful violations)
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in Alabama
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Alabama.
How it works
petition the probate court
Typical court fee
~$25–$100
Newspaper notice required?
unverified
Small claims court in Alabama
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Alabama.
Maximum claim
$6,000
Filing fee
roughly $35–$198 state base (counties add local fees)
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed
Clearing your criminal record in Alabama
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Alabama stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement
What qualifies
dismissed/acquitted charges; nonviolent misdemeanor, municipal, and minor traffic convictions
Waiting period
3 years after misdemeanor conviction; 2-year clean record for dismissed charges
Child support in Alabama
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Alabama.
How it's figured
income shares Rule 32, Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration; Form CS-42 schedule on judicial.alabama.gov
When it ends
age 19 (Alabama's age of majority)
Lemon law in Alabama
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Alabama's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new vehicles only (Ala. Code §8-20A-2)
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts for the same defect plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer, or 30+ cumulative days out of service, within 24 months/24,000 miles
What you get
comparable new replacement vehicle or full refund, at the consumer's option
Tenant rights in Alabama
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Alabama.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 7 business days to pay or vacate for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
Max 1 month's rent (extra allowed for pets, alterations, or added liability); return within 60 days with a written itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
No repair-and-deduct and no rent withholding allowed; may terminate the lease after 14 days' written notice if the landlord doesn't fix the problem
DUI / DWI in Alabama
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Alabama handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced 'super DUI' penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
Up to 1 year in jail (no mandatory jail time), $600-$2,100 fine, 90-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
10 years
Gun laws in Alabama
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless (constitutional) carry since Jan 1, 2023 for 19+ (18+ military); shall-issue permit system kept for reciprocity
Carrying openly
Generally allowed (handgun must be in a holster; 18+)
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes valid concealed carry permits from all other states
Filming the police: your rights in Alabama
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Ala. Code § 13A-11-30)
No buffer-zone law
Alabama has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
You can record a conversation you are part of without telling anyone. On-duty police in public have no expectation of privacy, and the 11th Circuit (Smith v. City of Cumming, 2000) protects filming them.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Alabama
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Alabama
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Alabama
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Alabama
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Alabama
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →