Cherokee County Circuit Court Role
Cherokee County is in Alabama's Ninth Judicial Circuit, which also includes DeKalb County. Alabama uses Circuit Courts as general-jurisdiction trial courts and District Courts as limited-jurisdiction trial courts. The local court site is branded "Cherokee County - Ninth Circuit Court of Alabama" and links to Circuit Judges, District Judges, Circuit Civil, District Civil, Domestic Relations, Juvenile, Protection from Abuse, Small Claims, Traffic Court, Jury Information, and Magistrates & Warrants.
The Circuit Court channel is especially important for larger civil matters, domestic relations, appeals from Small Claims, and felony criminal case stages. The Circuit Clerk, Dwayne Amos, keeps Circuit and District Court records at Suite 102 in the Cherokee County Courthouse. Probate Court is separate and handles estates, marriage certificates, recordings, deeds, UCC filings, and probate indexes.
Cherokee County Court Offices
The table below reflects the researched local court and office structure. Some circuit judges serve the Ninth Judicial Circuit from DeKalb County courthouse offices, while Cherokee County's courthouse in Centre houses the Circuit Clerk, District Court, Probate Office, and magistrate channel.
| Court or Office | Official | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County Circuit Clerk | Dwayne Amos | 373 East Main Street, Suite 102, Centre, AL 35960 | (256) 927-3637; records form also (256) 927-3340 |
| Cherokee County District Court | Hon. Wesley S. Mobley | County Courthouse, 373 East Main Street, Centre, AL 35960 | (256) 927-3682 |
| Ninth Circuit Court | Hon. Jeremy S. Taylor, Presiding Circuit Judge | Suite 403, 300 Grand Avenue South, Fort Payne, AL 35967 | (256) 845-8544 |
| Ninth Circuit Court | Hon. Shaunathan C. Bell, Circuit Judge | Suite 406, 300 Grand Avenue South, Fort Payne, AL 35967 | (256) 845-8545 |
| Ninth Circuit Court | Hon. Andrew J. Hairston, Circuit Judge | Suite 300, 300 Grand Avenue South, Fort Payne, AL 35967 | (256) 845-8540 |
| Cherokee County Probate Court | Hon. Tim Burgess | 373 East Main Street, Suite 103, Centre, AL 35960 | (256) 927-3668 |
Cherokee County Court Comparison
The local record path changes with the court type. Circuit Court and District Court records use the Circuit Clerk and Alacourt channels. Probate uses the Probate Office and probate portal. Centre and Cedar Bluff municipal matters can require municipal court contact when the case is inside those city or town limits.
| Topic | Circuit Court | District Court | Small Claims or Municipal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main role | General trial court, larger civil, domestic relations, felony stages, appeals | Limited trial court for lower civil, misdemeanors, traffic, preliminary matters | Small Claims is a District Court division; municipal courts handle city ordinance and local misdemeanor matters |
| Civil amount | Local fee tiers begin above $20,000 | District Civil fee chart covers $6,000.01 to $20,000 | Small Claims maximum is $6,000 |
| Traffic | May receive appeals or related criminal matters | Cherokee County District Court handles county-level traffic citations | Centre and Cedar Bluff municipal cases may stay municipal |
| Record holder | Circuit Clerk and Alacourt | Circuit Clerk and Alacourt | Small Claims through Circuit Clerk; municipal through the city court |
| Appeals | To Alabama appellate courts by case type | Some matters can move to Circuit Court | Small Claims judgments may be appealed to Circuit Court |
Cherokee County Case Flow
Cherokee County cases do not all begin in the same place. A civil lawsuit may begin with a complaint or statement of claim. A traffic citation may start in District Court. A criminal case may begin with an arrest, complaint, warrant, or indictment. A probate claim begins in Probate Court, not Circuit Court.
Civil flow: Claim or complaint filed › case number assigned › service by sheriff or certified mail › answer due › hearing or trial setting › judgment › collection or appeal.
Criminal flow: Arrest or complaint › warrant or first appearance › charging decision › arraignment › pretrial hearings › plea or trial › disposition and sentence › appeal or expungement if eligible.
Traffic flow: Citation issued › pay or dispose before court date if eligible › appear to request trial when pleading not guilty › disposition, fine, costs, or failure-to-appear action.
Cherokee County Civil Cases
Circuit Civil records include higher-value civil matters. The local Circuit Civil page lists filing tiers of $20,000.01 to $50,000 and $50,000.01 and over or unspecified amount. District Civil handles lower-value civil matters, evictions, and unlawful detainers. The District Civil page says the plaintiff should file in the county where the defendant lives or has an office and must provide correct address or place-of-employment details for service.
District Civil timing is one of the most useful local details. After filing, processing usually takes one to two weeks. A defendant has 14 days after service to answer. If an answer is filed, trial is set six to eight weeks after receipt of the answer. If no answer is filed, the plaintiff may request a default judgment using a notarized default request and affidavit.
Small Claims is a division of District Court. It is designed for simpler disputes, has no jury, and has a maximum amount of $6,000. Either party may appeal a Small Claims judgment to Circuit Court.
Cherokee County Domestic and Criminal Cases
Domestic Relations is a Circuit Court division. Divorces are primarily filed there, and the local page warns that divorces can be complex, especially when children are involved. An uncontested divorce has a 30-day waiting period before the judge can sign the decree if the paperwork is in order. Contested cases are randomly assigned to a judge and set for trial.
Criminal court records may include complaint, warrant, arrest or booking reference, charging instrument, indictment, plea, bond, hearings, motions, disposition, sentence, fines, restitution, probation, and docket entries. The sheriff's jail roster may show booking facts, but the court record is maintained by the Circuit Clerk after a case exists. A person who needs final court outcome should not rely only on booking charges.
Cherokee County Traffic and Warrants
Cherokee County District Court handles county-level traffic citations. The local traffic page says the court date on a ticket is not a trial date. A defendant who wants to plead not guilty must appear on the listed court date to request a trial. Failure to pay or appear can lead to a warrant, license suspension, increased fine, and bond forfeiture.
Warrant magistrates work through the Circuit Clerk office. The local warrant page says magistrates handle misdemeanors outside Centre city limits and Cedar Bluff town limits, felonies in Cherokee County, traffic offenses written by state troopers, county deputies, and Leesburg police officers, and worthless checks received in Cherokee County. Misdemeanors inside Centre or Cedar Bluff usually route to municipal court unless a felony or extraordinary circumstance is involved.
Note: A courthouse traffic or warrant record is different from an ALEA driver history or a sheriff incident report.
Search Cherokee County Circuit Court Records
Circuit Court and District Court records can be searched through Alacourt ACCESS / Just One Look when paid statewide trial court access is enough. The local Circuit Clerk request form is the fallback for certified copies, paper files, older records, archived or microfilm searches, and clerk-assisted searches. The form requires a $5 deposit and payment by cashier's check or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.
For appellate activity, Alabama trial court appeals route by case type to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Civil Appeals, or Alabama Supreme Court. Federal cases from Cherokee County do not use the local Circuit Clerk. They route to the Northern District of Alabama, bankruptcy court, or federal appellate systems.