SB297 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Sam GivhanSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Courts, circuit and district, to further provide for the jurisdiction of the circuit and district courts, Secs. 12-11-30, 12-12-30 am'd.

Summary

SB 297 changes where civil and criminal cases are heard in Alabama courts, expands circuit court powers, and updates filing fees.

What This Bill Does

It redefines civil court boundaries so the circuit court has exclusive original jurisdiction for civil actions over $20,000 and shares jurisdiction with the district court for actions over $6,000. It preserves district jurisdiction for smaller cases, including unlawful detainer, up to $20,000. It assigns felony and related criminal matters to the circuit with some limited plea-jury options for the district, and expands the circuit’s appellate and supervisory roles over district, municipal, and probate courts; it also sets contempt rules. It overhauls filing fees across district and circuit courts, introduces additional plaintiff fees and jury-demand fees, and allows removal of concurrent-jurisdiction cases from district to circuit within 30 days, with some protections for hardship and workers’ compensation cases.

Who It Affects

• Civil litigants (plaintiffs and defendants) in Alabama: Their case’s hearing venue (circuit or district) will depend on the amount in controversy, and some cases may be removable from district to circuit.
• People and entities paying court fees (and their attorneys): The bill changes the civil filing fee schedule, adds extra fees for additional plaintiffs and jury demands, and includes provisions about hardship waivers and workers’ compensation fees.

Key Provisions

• Civil jurisdiction thresholds: circuit exclusive original jurisdiction for civil actions over $20,000; concurrent original jurisdiction with the district for civil actions over $6,000; district jurisdiction for actions up to $20,000 (excluding interest and costs) and unlawful detainer.
• Criminal jurisdiction: circuit has exclusive original jurisdiction over felonies and related offenses; district has concurrent jurisdiction to receive guilty pleas in felonies not punishable by death; circuit may defer payment of fines for certain indigent defendants.
• Appellate and supervisory powers: circuit has appellate jurisdiction over civil, criminal, and juvenile cases in district court and over ordinance-violation prosecutions in municipal courts; circuit supervises district, municipal, and probate courts.
• Contempts and general powers: circuit can punish contempt with up to $100 fine and up to 5 days imprisonment; circuit retains other powers provided by law.
• Removal: cases with concurrent jurisdiction may be removed from district to circuit within 30 days; removal is not subject to district damage limitations.
• Filing fees and related rules: new statewide filing fee schedules for district and circuit courts, with specific amounts for small claims, circuit filings, and domestic relations cases; additional plaintiff fees and jury-demand fees; provisions for hardship waivers and workers’ compensation fee restrictions.
• Effective date: the act takes effect on the first day of the third month after its passage and Governor’s approval.

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

Subjects

Courts