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.