Lowndes County Circuit Clerk
The official Lowndes County Circuit Clerk page names Stephanie Jones as Circuit Clerk. The clerk serves as official record keeper and business manager for District and Circuit Court proceedings. The judiciary directory also lists Chief Clerk Camekia Surles-Miles and Court Specialist III Connie Johnson. Each shares the main clerk telephone number for public court business.
The Lowndes County Circuit Clerk works in the county courthouse. The office maintains case records, handles funds, issues notices and subpoenas, and supports the court's public-facing work. It does not serve as the county probate and recording office. Probate Judge LaShandra Myrick and the Probate Office handle wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, deeds, mortgages, judgments, name changes, elections, and marriage certificates.
Lowndes County Circuit Clerk
Circuit Clerk: Stephanie Jones
1 South Washington Street
Hayneville, AL 36040
(334) 548-2252
Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
The county Circuit Clerk source provides the local office details.
This office is the local point of contact when an online court search is not enough or a certified court record is required.
Lowndes Circuit Clerk Duties
The clerk's official duties page lists Civil, Criminal, Domestic, Child Support, Traffic, Juvenile, Warrants, and jury management as divisions behind the counter. A filing is accepted into the correct court division, assigned and maintained as a court record, and connected to notices, service, hearings, orders, and financial activity as the case proceeds.
- Maintain official Circuit and District Court records and electronically imaged case material.
- Manage court funds and collect and disburse money handled through court cases.
- Prepare subpoenas and issue court notices to parties as required by the case process.
- Support civil, criminal, domestic, child-support, traffic, juvenile, warrant, and jury functions.
- Provide public counter assistance while observing sealed, juvenile, and other access limits.
The office can explain procedure and identify forms, but it cannot advise a person what claim to file, whether a case is legally strong, or what argument to make. The local Alabama Judicial System page warns that court staff cannot give legal advice. A lawyer should answer legal-strategy questions.
The clerk's financial work is part of the case record as well. Alacourt reports may show a financial history, while the local office collects and disburses court funds. That does not make an online balance screen the whole file. Orders, case actions, service, notices, and document images may be needed to understand why a charge appears or whether a judgment has been satisfied.
Request Certified Lowndes Records
A certified copy carries the clerk's formal authentication. It may be needed when another court, agency, school, employer, or legal process requires proof that a document matches the official file. An online case-detail report or screen print is not automatically a certified copy. Start with enough case information to let the clerk identify the right file and document.
- Identify the court division, case number if known, party names, and the exact order, judgment, decree, or other document needed.
- Call (334) 548-2252 to confirm public access, the current search or certification charge, the accepted payment method, and mail or pickup options.
- Submit the request through the method the Circuit Clerk confirms. Do not send payment based on an unverified fee from another county.
- Provide any proof of authority required for a sealed or restricted file. Ordinary public access does not override a court order or confidentiality law.
- Check the certification and case number when the copy arrives, then keep the receipt with the record.
In-person service is available during published office hours. Mail processing may be possible after staff confirms the details. The research found no Lowndes-specific online public-record request form for the Circuit Clerk, so a telephone check is the reliable first step for a mailed certified-copy request.
Note: Tell the clerk whether a plain informational copy or a formally certified copy is required before staff calculates the charge.
Lowndes Records Request Details
No local web request form with verified field labels was located. The practical inventory below collects the information a requester should be ready to give by phone, mail, or at the counter. It is a preparation checklist, not a claim that the Lowndes Circuit Clerk requires a particular unpublished form.
| Request detail | Why it helps | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Identifies the precise file and court division | Use when known |
| Party names | Supports a search when the number is unknown | Provide accurate spelling |
| Case type or division | Separates civil, criminal, domestic, traffic, and other files | Use when known |
| Document requested | Distinguishes a decree, judgment, order, docket, or full file | Describe clearly |
| Plain or certified copy | Determines the service and likely cost | Confirm with recipient |
| Delivery and contact details | Lets staff explain pickup or mail processing | Confirm by phone |
Case details can first be checked through Alacourt ACCESS or Just One Look. The statewide paid service allows name and case-number searches and can display case status, setting dates, party information, financial history, and a detailed case action summary. Keep the result number for the clerk request.
The portal describes a case-number search as more direct than an open-ended name search, but either search costs $9.99. A “No Matching Records on File” result still counts as a completed search. Check spelling, court division, and county before paying again. The Lowndes Circuit Clerk remains the fallback for an older record, a file that is not available online, or a public document that needs formal certification.
Lowndes Circuit Clerk Fees
The Lowndes civil fee sheet publishes filing and process charges, not a complete plain-copy or certified-copy schedule. The amounts below apply to the stated court services. Call the clerk for copy, certification, and record-search charges that are not listed.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Small claims, $1,500 or less | $67.00 |
| Small claims, $1,500.01 to $3,000 | $141.00 |
| Small claims, $3,000.01 to $6,000 | $230.00 |
| District Civil, $6,000.01 to $20,000 | $262.00 |
| Domestic relations, contested | $209.00 |
| Domestic relations, uncontested | $194.00 |
| Modification | $312.00 |
| Subpoena | $27.00 |
| Garnishment | $45.00 |
| Additional defendant | $25.00 |
The published small-claims, district-civil, and domestic-relations figures include the sheriff's fee. The sheet also lists an additional plaintiff at $50.00, capped at $500, and a default or summary-judgment motion at $50.00. A separate sheriff service fee is $15.00 when it applies. Fees can change, so confirm the total for the actual filing.
The local District Civil source also lists certified mail with restricted delivery at $10.29 for one ounce plus $0.20 for each additional ounce. Appeals from District Civil to Circuit Court are listed at $349 for a non-jury appeal and $449 for a jury appeal, plus a bond for unpaid costs. These figures relate to court process and filing. They should not be used as an estimate for a plain record copy or certified decree.
Lowndes Clerk Forms and Process
The local District Civil material states that the office processes statements of claim, assigns case numbers, handles service, sends notices by mail, and has forms at the counter. It also discusses answers, default judgment, appeal timing, collections, certified mail, and related court steps. Use the official court material for current instructions rather than a private form library.
- District Civil instructions for claim, answer, service, judgment, and appeal procedures.
- Small Claims information for lower-value civil matters and related forms.
- Domestic Relations information for local family-court routing.
- Juvenile Court information for the local juvenile division, subject to confidentiality limits.
An office form does not provide legal advice. Follow filing instructions, deadlines, and service requirements carefully, and seek counsel when a legal choice is involved. District Civil appeals normally go to Circuit Court within 14 calendar days after judgment, while the published period for unlawful detainer is 7 days.
Lowndes Mail and Online Access
The Circuit Clerk's official profile says records are electronically imaged and that most trial-court information may be obtained through Alabama's Just One Look service with required fees. The public portal lists criminal, civil, small-claims, state-traffic, domestic-relations, and child-support record categories. A name search or case-number search costs $9.99. Document images cost $5.00 for the first 20 pages and $0.50 for each later page.
Online access is useful for locating a case, reading status and action data, and narrowing a document request. It does not make the Circuit Clerk the custodian of probate or recorded-land material, and it does not guarantee public access to juvenile, sealed, or expunged files. For courthouse-only records, certified copies, or mailing instructions, contact the clerk directly. A request for probate records should go to the Probate Office instead.
The Lowndes County Alabama Judicial System page repeats the courthouse address, phone, and hours and includes the court's legal-advice limitation. Check current office conditions before traveling, especially when a filing deadline or hearing is near.
AlaPay is a separate official search and payment channel for traffic tickets and disposed criminal cases with outstanding balances. It can help a person pay a fine or print a receipt, but it is not the full Lowndes County court record. For the pleadings, orders, case action, or certified disposition, use Alacourt to identify the matter and then work with the Circuit Clerk.
Juvenile and expunged records require special care. Alabama law restricts juvenile legal and social files, and an expunged case is not handled like an ordinary public record. Staff may be unable to confirm or release material through a routine public request. A person seeking their own protected record should ask what identity, court order, or authorized procedure applies.