SB245 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Clay Scofield
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Motor vehicles, abandoned, contests, notice of appeal required to be filed in circuit court in county where sale is scheduled, Tax Tribunal, not subject to declaratory judgment, declaratory ruling, or contested case provisions of Admin. Procedure Act, Sec. 40-2B-1.1 added; Sec. 32-13-4 am'd.
Summary: SB245 would move appeals about abandoned motor vehicle sales from the Alabama Tax Tribunal to circuit court in the county where the sale is scheduled or has occurred.
What This Bill Does
If passed, appeals contesting an abandoned motor vehicle sale must be filed in the circuit court of the relevant county. The process for hearings to determine abandonment and proper notice remains, and the sale cannot occur while such a hearing is active. Post-sale contests and disputes over costs related to the sale would also be heard in the appropriate circuit court in the relevant county.

Who It Affects
Current owners, registrants, secured parties, and lienholders of the motor vehicle, who must file their appeal in the circuit court of the county where the sale is scheduled or has occurred.
Circuit courts in the counties where the sale is scheduled or has occurred, which would handle the appeals, hearings, and any post-sale or cost-related disputes.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 32-13-4 to require a notice of appeal contesting the sale of an abandoned motor vehicle to be filed in the circuit court in the county where the sale is scheduled to occur.
The Alabama Tax Tribunal would no longer serve as the appeals venue for these contests (appeals handled in circuit court in the designated county).
If a timely hearing application is made, the circuit court must conduct a hearing to determine whether the vehicle is abandoned and whether proper notices were issued; sale cannot occur during this process.
If the vehicle is found abandoned and proper notices were issued, it may be sold after notice of the sale as required by law.
Contests filed after the sale and disputes over reasonable costs (repair, towing, storage, etc.) must be filed in the circuit court in the county where the sale occurred or, for costs, in the county where the sale is scheduled or has occurred.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Motor Vehicles