What is a Court Specialist?
Juris Professionalism, Integrity, Courtesy

A Brief History:

Originally called the Alabama Court Clerk’s Association, the group was established in 1991. As a result of the efforts of this Organization, reclassification was implemented by the Administrative Office of Courts. With the new classification, the organization changed its name to the Alabama Court Specialists Association.

Court Specialist is the job title of the employees in the various Clerk’s Offices (District, Circuit, Family, and Juvenile). The Circuit Clerk is the official “keeper of the record” and all of these courts fall under his/her supervision. The Clerk’s Office is also the Gateway to the judicial system by accepting filings from attorneys and individuals, processing and routing to judges for ruling. This is a simplified definition. The list of individual tasks is unending but here are a few:

• Opening and maintaining files for criminal, civil, domestic relations, juvenile and child support.
• Processing subpoenas, summons, warrants, orders and other court notices.
• Collecting and disbursing millions of dollars in court costs, fines, restitution, child support and civil judgments, much of which makes its way into the State general fund and various agencies.
• Setting and maintaining trial and hearing dockets.
• Maintaining date for all court filings in the State Judicial Information System (SJIS)
• Imaging court records to convert paper files to electronic image files.
• Managing jury attendance, including issuing checks and certificates for juror service.
• Providing general information about court cases to the public, attorneys, judges, and other agencies.
• Processing absentee ballots.

We can

explain and answer questions about how the court works.

provide the number of the local lawyer referral service, legal services program, Alabama State Bar lawyer referral service, Volunteer Lawyers Programs, and other servicers where legal information is available.

give general information about court rules, procedures and practices.

provide court schedules and information on how to get a case scheduled.

give you information from your case file give you some samples of court forms that are available.

usually answer questions about court deadlines. 

We cannot

tell you whether or not you should bring your case to court.

tell you what words to use in your court papers. However, we will check your papers for completeness. For example, we check for signatures, notarization, correct county name, correct case number and presence of attachments.

recommend what to say in court.

give an opinion about what will happen if you bring your case to court.

talk to the judge for you or let you talk to the judge in private.

change an order signed by a judge.

tell you what deadlines apply in your case.