Sumter Circuit and District Courts
Sumter County is part of Alabama's 17th Judicial Circuit with Greene and Marengo counties. Circuit Court is the state's general-jurisdiction trial court. It handles felony prosecutions, domestic-relations cases, larger civil disputes, and appeals from District, Municipal, and Probate Courts when law permits. Alabama Code Section 12-11-30 defines its main jurisdiction.
District Court is a limited-jurisdiction state trial court and the practical entry point for many residents. It hears Sumter County traffic citations, misdemeanors, preliminary felony matters, small claims, unlawful-detainer cases, and civil claims within the statutory limit. Sections 12-12-30 and 12-12-32 define district civil and criminal authority. The same Circuit Clerk maintains both court levels' records.
Sumter County Trial Court List
Sumter County does not have a set of separately numbered district courts in the research. Its documented local trial structure consists of the 17th Judicial Circuit's Circuit Court and the county District Court, both centered at the Livingston courthouse.
| Court | Judge | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit | Gregory S. Griggers | PO Drawer 290, Livingston, AL 35470 | 205-652-6169 |
| Sumter County District Court | Tammy Jackson Montgomery | 115 Franklin Street, Livingston, AL 35470 | 205-652-7364 |
| Circuit Clerk for both courts | Devon A. James | 115 Franklin Street, Livingston, AL 35470 | 205-652-2291 |
The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The clerk accepts mail at PO Box 936, Livingston, AL 35470-0936. Use the judge's number for chambers information only when directed; use the clerk for case records, filings, copies, payments, and docket questions.
Sumter Court Jurisdiction Compared
Alabama's local structure does not use a generic County Court or Justice of the Peace court in Sumter County. The useful comparison is Circuit Court, District Court, Municipal Court, and Probate Court.
| Issue | Circuit Court | District Court | Municipal / Probate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main civil work | Higher-value and domestic-relations cases | Claims within the district limit, small claims, unlawful detainer | Probate handles estates, guardianships, land and marriage duties |
| Criminal or traffic work | Felony prosecutions and lower-court appeals | Misdemeanors, state traffic, felony preliminary hearings | Municipal ordinance and city traffic cases |
| Record keeper | Sumter Circuit Clerk | Sumter Circuit Clerk | City court or Judge of Probate |
| Appeal path | Alabama appellate court by case type | Circuit Court where allowed | Often Circuit Court where allowed |
How Sumter Cases Move
The route depends on subject and court. A misdemeanor can stay in District Court. A felony may begin there for preliminary proceedings and continue in Circuit Court. A small claim can be tried in District Court and may reach Circuit Court on appeal where Alabama law permits. Municipal and probate appeals also may enter Circuit Court.
Felony flow: Charge or arrest › District Court first appearance and preliminary stage › grand-jury or charging action › Circuit Court arraignment › pretrial › plea or trial › sentence › Court of Criminal Appeals
Civil flow: Complaint filed in the court with jurisdiction › service › answer › motions and discovery › hearing or trial › judgment › available appeal
A District Court appeal described as a trial de novo means Circuit Court hears the matter anew where the statute allows, rather than merely reviewing the lower record. Filing deadlines and appeal requirements are case-specific. The clerk can explain filing procedure but cannot give legal advice.
Sumter Court Case Divisions
Circuit Court carries felony, domestic, and major civil files. District Court carries state traffic, misdemeanor, small-claims, eviction, lower civil, and preliminary felony files. The Circuit Clerk's official divisions are Civil, Criminal, Domestic, Child Support, Traffic, Juvenile, and Warrants. That division list helps a caller describe the type of record needed.
Juvenile records are confidential under Alabama law and do not follow ordinary public access. Sealed and expunged files may also disappear from public search. The clerk may require a party, attorney, agency, or other authorized requester to show a legal basis for access. Public copies can redact protected identifiers.
State trial court records generally begin with Alacourt Access or Just One Look. Search by case number or name where the service allows, choose Sumter County, and expect fees or account needs. Older, unavailable, sealed, or copy-specific files require the Circuit Clerk.
Sumter County Seventeenth Circuit
The 17th Judicial Circuit covers Sumter, Greene, and Marengo counties. Gregory S. Griggers is the documented circuit judge. District Attorney Racheal England serves the circuit from the Marengo County Courthouse in Linden. Tammy Jackson Montgomery is the Sumter County District Judge. Each office has a different role: judges decide cases, the prosecutor represents the state in criminal matters, and Circuit Clerk Devon A. James maintains the court file.
Alabama criminal appeals from Circuit Court go to the Court of Criminal Appeals. Civil and domestic appeals may go to the Court of Civil Appeals or Supreme Court, depending on the subject and amount. This state appeal chain is separate from the federal Eleventh Circuit.
Sumter Municipal and Probate Courts
Livingston Municipal Court handles city ordinance and municipal traffic cases. The city reports court on the first Tuesday of each month at Livingston Community Center, 101 Country Club Road. When a Livingston citation is not visible in the payment channel, the city directs callers to Rhonda Bibbs at 205-652-2505. York's police page gives 205-392-5261 and warns that callers will hear a Greene County dispatch prompt and should remain on the line.
Probate Court is also separate. Judge of Probate Willie Pearl Watkins-Rice works from the Probate Annex at 115 Marshall Street, phone 205-652-7281. Estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, land records, and marriage recording should not be filed with District Court merely because both offices are in Livingston. Sheriff Brian S. Harris keeps county law-enforcement and local custody records, not the trial court case file.
Note: Check the court printed on the citation or notice before paying, filing, or appearing; county and city cases use different channels.
Federal Courts for Sumter County
Federal matters are not Sumter Circuit Court or District Court records. Sumter County is within the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and its Western Jury Area. Federal civil, criminal, habeas, prisoner-rights, and federal-question cases use PACER and CM/ECF rather than Alacourt.
The PACER federal records service is the official entry point. 
This service keeps federal docket access separate from Sumter County's state trial court search.
The PACER court and CM/ECF lookup identifies federal court systems. 
Select the Northern District of Alabama for the federal trial court that covers Sumter County.
The Northern District CM/ECF system hosts that court's electronic docket. 
It is not used for state traffic, misdemeanor, felony, domestic, or civil cases in Livingston.
Federal appeals go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. 
That appellate court should not be confused with Alabama's 17th Judicial Circuit.
CourtListener can assist research into federal opinions and some docket material. 
Official federal case documents and definitive docket access remain with PACER and CM/ECF.
Access Sumter Trial Court Records
Most public Circuit and District Court information begins with Alacourt Access or Just One Look. Search by party name or case number where the portal permits and use Sumter County as the location. The selected-case screen confirms a case number and name before detailed access. Account or payment requirements may apply. Alacourt terms list document pricing at $5 for the first 20 pages and 50 cents for each page after that.
The online route is not the only channel. Visit the Circuit Clerk at 115 Franklin Street, call 205-652-2291, or mail PO Box 936, Livingston, AL 35470-0936. Provide the names, case number if known, approximate year, court level, case type, and document needed. AlaFile is a different system for electronic filing and party notices. It should not be treated as a substitute for the public lookup.
Alabama public-records law supports access to nonconfidential public records, while court rules and statutes protect sealed, expunged, juvenile, and sensitive material. A blank online result can mean the search details are wrong, the case belongs to another court, the file is not online, or access is restricted. Confirm with the clerk before drawing a conclusion.
Visit Sumter County Courts
The Sumter County Courthouse is both an operating court center and a historic building. The National Park Service identifies the courthouse in Livingston as a National Register property associated with the significant year 1902 and the period 1900 through 1924. Visitors should use the current AOC street address on Franklin Street, not rely only on the historic listing's broader US 11 location description.
From US 11, continue into Livingston and follow the courthouse square and Franklin Street area. From I-20/I-59, use the Livingston approach toward downtown. Allow time for screening and bring only items needed for court business. The local jury page states that court staff will not call to demand Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. Verify an unexpected payment or data request by calling the published clerk number.