Etowah County District Court Jurisdiction
The Etowah District Court page states that District Court generally has original jurisdiction over criminal misdemeanors, holds preliminary hearings in felony prosecutions, and can receive guilty pleas in felony cases not punishable by death. The two District Judges also have concurrent jurisdiction with Circuit Court in juvenile matters and civil actions not exceeding $20,000.
District Court has exclusive jurisdiction where the amount in controversy does not exceed $6,000, which is the small claims range. District Civil handles civil cases from $6,000.01 through $20,000 plus unlawful detainer and eviction filings. Traffic citations issued by an Alabama State Trooper or Etowah County Sheriff are processed through the county Traffic Division, while municipal citations are routed to the city court that issued the ticket.
The Etowah District Court page is the main local jurisdiction source for this page.
The page confirms that District Court is a lower trial court with criminal, civil, juvenile, and preliminary-hearing functions.
Etowah County District Court Judges
Etowah County lists two District Judges in Suite 200 of the Judicial Building. Their records are maintained through the Circuit Clerk's Office, which serves as official record keeper for both District and Circuit Court proceedings.
| Court | Judge | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Court | Hon. Joe F. Nabors, Presiding District Judge | Judicial Building, Suite 200, 801 Forrest Ave., Gadsden, AL 35901 | 256-549-5319 |
| District Court | Hon. Matthew P. Skelton, District Judge | Judicial Building, Suite 200, 801 Forrest Ave., Gadsden, AL 35901 | 256-549-5321 |
| Juvenile Referee | Hon. Rodney L. Ward | Etowah County Judicial Building | 256-549-5457 |
Etowah County District Criminal Records
District Criminal handles misdemeanor arrests in Etowah County, non-uniform citations, conservation violations, felony initial attorney or representation appearances, preliminary hearings, bond fees, costs, and fines. Felony cases may begin in District Court for first appearance and preliminary hearing work, then move to grand jury and Circuit Court if indicted.
The District Criminal page also supports payment and court-date details. In district criminal fine and cost payment contexts, Alapay may ask for case number, Social Security number, and date of birth. The clerk cannot take credit card payments by phone, and in-person credit card payment requires identification verification. Court dates can be changed only in extreme emergencies and only by judge order.
Etowah County Small Claims Records
Small claims are District Court cases with simplified procedures and a claim limit of $6,000. Individuals, partnerships, and corporations may file, but representation rules differ for corporate or partnership parties. Small claims defendants generally have 14 calendar days to answer after service, and trial is often set several weeks after the answer is filed.
The Etowah small claims page provides the local filing and procedure source.
Small claims records can include the statement of claim, answer, service documents, judgment, garnishment, execution, or appeal to Circuit Court.
Etowah County District Civil Records
District Civil records include civil matters in the District Court range and eviction or unlawful detainer filings. The research notes detailed Etowah procedures: nonpayment begins with a written 7-day notice, an expired lease requires a 30-day notice, a tenant has 7 calendar days to answer after service or posting, a default application costs $50, and a writ of possession may follow after additional waiting.
| District Civil Issue | Etowah County Detail |
|---|---|
| Lower civil amount | District Court handles claims up to $20,000, with exclusive small claims jurisdiction at $6,000 or less. |
| Eviction notice for nonpayment | One written 7-day notice is required before filing. |
| Expired lease notice | A 30-day written notice is used when the lease has expired. |
| Tenant answer time | 7 calendar days after service or posting in unlawful detainer matters. |
| Appeal route | Appeals from District Court go to Circuit Court. |
Etowah County District Traffic Records
The Traffic Division processes citations issued by an Alabama State Trooper or Etowah County Sheriff in Etowah County. The court date and time are printed on the ticket, and the traffic page says no further notice will be sent. If eligible to avoid court, the defendant may sign the back of the ticket as a guilty plea and mail cashier's check or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.
Some citations require appearance and cannot be prepaid. Examples from the research include DUI, driving while suspended or revoked, failure to register, certain no-insurance situations, PUI, school-zone speeding, reckless driving, no utility trailer tag, switched tag, and tag issued to another. City-issued citations go to municipal courts, not the county Traffic Division.
Access Etowah County District Records
District Court records are accessed through the same core channels as other trial court files. Use Alacourt ACCESS for account-based trial court records, the Circuit Clerk public terminal for local public record name searches, and written requests for filings, pleadings, orders, copies, certified copies, archived records, or microfilmed records.
Alabama Code 12-12-32 defines District Court criminal jurisdiction, and Alabama Code 12-11-30 describes Circuit Court jurisdiction, including appeals from District Court.
The District Court criminal jurisdiction statute is one of the page's manifest sources.
Those statutes help explain why some Etowah County criminal records begin in District Court but later continue in Circuit Court.
The Circuit Court jurisdiction statute is also assigned in the manifest.
The appeal path is one reason a District Court user may need to search both District Court and Circuit Court records for the same dispute.