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Money disputes up to $6,000 are settled in the Jefferson County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Jefferson County, how notice reaches the other party, the time limits, and the filing steps. Squabble can prepare and lodge the paperwork when you decide to go ahead.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. Jefferson County confirms the venue from the defendant's address or where the events happened.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Confirm the courthouse before you file. The court's own small-claims page carries its current filing location and hours, and Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
Jefferson County Courthouse, in Birmingham, is the courthouse listed for Jefferson County. About 664,744 people live in Jefferson County.
This court accepts electronic filing for small claims, so a case can be started without a courthouse trip.
The small claims list is heard in person, at the courthouse itself.
Two sets of evidence are needed, one for the judge and one for the other side, and some courts also take it electronically in advance.
Jefferson County, Alabama, has a population of 664,744 and is served by the Alabama Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $6,000. Cases from the county are filed at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, located at 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N #500, 35203. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed Saturday and Sunday. It can be reached by phone at (205) 325-5331, and additional information is posted at http://www.jccal.org/. The county includes communities such as Bessemer, Fairfield, Gardendale, Leeds, Pinson, Pleasant Grove, Fultondale, and Adamsville, along with ZIP codes including 35020, 35023, 35061, 35068, 35071, 35094, and 35126. Jefferson County lies near Shelby County, Walker County, and Tuscaloosa County. Electronic filing is not available for small claims cases in this county, so filings are handled at the courthouse.
These 29 places sit inside Jefferson County:
Adamsville, Adger, Alton, Bessemer, Birmingham, Brookside, Cardiff, Clay, Docena, Dolomite, Dora, Fairfield, Fultondale, Gardendale, Graysville, Kimberly, Leeds, Morris, Mount Olive, Mulga, New Castle, Palmerdale, Pinson, Pleasant Grove, Sayre, Shannon, Trussville, Warrior, Watson.
With about 664,744 residents, Jefferson County ranks 1st by population among the 67 counties of Alabama. From Birmingham, Jefferson County Courthouse is roughly 13 miles from the Shelby County courthouse in Columbiana and 17 miles from the Walker County courthouse in Jasper.
Counties nearest to this one:
Everyday disputes over money belong in the small claims division, where the rules are simplified, and the sum in question has an upper bound.
Maximum claim
You can generally file where the dispute happened or where the other party lives.
One dispute cannot be broken into several cases to slip under the cap.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
Lawyers are allowed at a Alabama hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
A claim involving a minor is brought by a court-appointed guardian.
Over the limit? You can lower your claim to fit and stay in small claims, or file the full amount in regular civil court. Lowering usually means giving up the excess, so weigh it carefully.
These are the limits for Jefferson County, population about 664,744. Jefferson County is under the same limits as nearby Shelby County and Walker County.
Debts up to $6,000 belong in this court. These are the arguments people bring most frequently.
Jefferson County takes in Adamsville, Adger and Alton and the rest of the county. Jefferson County has about 664,744 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Fill in the claim, pick the courthouse that covers the dispute, and pay what the court charges.
The other side is formally served and has the chance to respond, or to settle before the hearing.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Jefferson County, at the Birmingham courthouse. Jefferson County Courthouse lists (205) 325-5300 as its number.
After you file, the other party must be formally notified. This is called service of process. You generally cannot serve the papers yourself. In Alabama, courts typically use delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it or certified mail.
Who may serve depends on the court: law enforcement, a paid process server, the clerk by certified mail, or a disinterested adult. Costs and rules are local.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date. Can serve out-of-state defendants by certified mail. Cannot use private process server (requires special judge request and court stamp). Service at least 15 days before hearing.
A completed proof of service records who delivered the papers and when, and it is filed with the court beforehand.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
A Jefferson County address carries one of its 104 ZIP codes, 35005, 35006 and 35015 among them. Shelby County and Walker County are the counties nearest to Jefferson County.
You have a limited window to file, measured from when the dispute arose. File after it closes and your claim can be barred.
| Claim type | Deadline to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
They do not change from one Jefferson County ZIP code to another, 35005 included. The same periods apply in Jefferson County as in nearby Shelby County and Walker County, which are in the same state.
Money owed under a contract in Alabama generally accrues interest at 6% per year before judgment (Ala. Code §8-8-1, §8-8-8).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
The rate above is the one for Jefferson County, population about 664,744. It is the same rate across all 104 Jefferson County ZIP codes.
Verify the figure is inside the limit and that you are still within the deadline for this claim type.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File with the Jefferson County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $66–$229 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
With a hearing date in hand, organise service and lodge the completed proof with the court.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Appear in person or, where available, remotely, present your case, and receive the court's decision.
Describe the dispute to Eleanor. Squabble drafts the paperwork, puts it through a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and lodges it with the court.
Start for FREE →A claim form opens the case, a proof of service records that notice was given, and a fee waiver applies where you qualify. Titles differ between courts, and Squabble uses the ones your courthouse expects.
Adamsville, Adger and Alton are among the places in Jefferson County that filings come from. Jefferson County papers go to Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Adamsville, Adger and Alton are among the Jefferson County places a hearing can draw parties from. Jefferson County Courthouse sits at the 35203 address shown above.
The decision settles who owes what. Turning it into money is a separate stage, and the tools the court makes available differ by state.
Wage garnishment, where the state permits it, sends part of the debtor's pay toward the judgment.
A court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
Recording the judgment with the county can place a lien on the debtor's real property.
The court can additionally require the debtor to appear and answer under oath about what they earn and own. An unsatisfied judgment usually carries statutory interest until it is paid.
The judgment in a Jefferson County case comes from Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham. Shelby County and Walker County are the counties nearest to Jefferson County.
Reviewed August 2026. Fees, limits and procedures are revised from time to time, so confirm them with the court before you file.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares your demand letter and court-ready documents, Triple-Checks them for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your Jefferson County case for you.
