Data about the number and type of civil court case filings and dispositions in Alabama is now available on a new Administrative Office of Courts dashboard.
The site is the start of an initiative to make case data and trends more accessible to the public, Alabama Chief Justice Sarah Stewart, elected last year, told Alabama Daily News.
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“As Chief Justice, one initiative I am focused on is transparency in the Alabama court system. I have made it a priority to strengthen the public’s trust in Alabama’s courts,” Stewart said. “That is why I asked the Administrative Office of Courts to create a new court statistics website. Citizens, policymakers and court officials alike now can easily access data that shows how cases move through the system. This is an important step forward, and it is only a start. We will continue to build on this website to add more information and statistics.”
Breaking down the information
Cases can be broken down by nearly 50 types, county, year and division. For example, users of the site can see that since the Elder Abuse Protection Order and Enforcement Act was passed by lawmakers in 2017, the number of protection orders filed in the state has increased to 113 in 2024. County level data shows that 193 cases have originated in Baldwin County since 2017, more than any other county. In Shelby County, 149 cases have been filed.
The recently launched dashboard currently only includes civil cases, but the reporting will be expanded in the future to include statistical information for criminal, domestic relations and juvenile cases, said Nathan Wilson, administrative director of courts.
The dashboard is intended to give the public a clear look at the work of judges and courts, highlighting the range and types of cases being handled, Wilson said. It also makes it easier to spot trends and patterns, providing insight into how cases move through the system.
“Our goal with this website is to make court data clear, accessible, and useful for everyone,” Wilson said. “The developers at the Administrative Office of Courts are to be commended for their dedication and skill in creating a clear, easy-to-use tool for the people of Alabama.
“We look forward to building upon it.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mary Sell and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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