Five Points, Alabama Public Records

The bond and bail process in Alabama allows for the release of detainees under certain conditions, and information on recently arrested individuals can be obtained through the facility or the Sheriff's Office.

The Chambers County District Court, phone (334) 864-4368, has jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil cases up to $10,000, small claims matters (up to $6,000 in Alabama), and preliminary hearings for felonies. The Chambers County Probate Court, phone (334) 864-4330, handles estate matters, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health commitments, marriage licenses, and vehicle title transfers. Court records can be searched in person at the courthouse or through Alabama's statewide case search system called Alacourt (https://pa.alacourt.gov), which provides access to civil, criminal, and traffic case information from circuit and district courts throughout the state. Users can search by name, case number, or filing date. While basic case information is available online, certified copies of court documents must be requested from the Clerk of Circuit Court or Clerk of District Court. Standard fees for certified copies are typically $1.00 per page plus a certification fee. The Probate Court charges separate fees for probate documents and certified marriage certificates, generally ranging from $3.00 to $5.00 per certified copy. Court filing fees vary by case type, with civil filing fees in district court starting around $150 and circuit court civil filings beginning around $213.

Search results typically display property owner information, assessed values, legal descriptions, and current and prior year tax payment status. The Chambers County Probate Court serves as the Register of Deeds for the county and is responsible for recording land documents. The Probate Judge's office, located at 2 LaFayette Street, LaFayette, AL 36862, phone (334) 864-4330, records deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, right-of-way documents, and other instruments affecting real property. Alabama requires recording fees of $11.00 for the first page and $2.00 for each additional page for most documents. Recorded documents become part of the permanent public record and can be searched at the Probate Court office. Some counties in Alabama offer online access to recorded documents through subscription services or free public portals; Chambers County residents should contact the Probate Court to inquire about current online availability of scanned deed images. The East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission provides GIS mapping services for member counties, and Chambers County may have parcel mapping available through county or regional GIS systems. Property searches can be conducted by the physical address of the property, the owner's name, or the parcel number assigned by the Revenue Commissioner's office. For title research and complete chain of title examinations, the Probate Court maintains grantor-grantee indexes dating back to the county's formation.

The largest employers in Chambers County include the Kia Georgia manufacturing plant just across the state line in West Point, Georgia, which employs thousands of workers and has catalyzed supplier and service industry growth throughout the region. Within Alabama, major Chambers County employers include the Chambers County School District, East Alabama Medical Center facilities, and manufacturing operations in the Valley/Lanett area including textile heritage industries that have transitioned to diversified manufacturing. The region historically depended on textile mills, and while that industry has declined, the area has worked to attract advanced manufacturing, automotive suppliers, and distribution operations. Agriculture remains economically significant in rural areas surrounding Five Points, with timber production, cattle farming, and row crop operations contributing to the local economy. Median household income in Five Points and rural Chambers County areas tends to be below the Alabama state median. The town's location along U.S. Highway 431 provides transportation access, and its proximity to West Point Lake offers some recreational tourism economic activity. Recent economic development initiatives in Chambers County have focused on leveraging the Kia manufacturing presence, improving broadband infrastructure in rural areas, and supporting small business development. Five Points serves primarily as a residential community within the county's economic ecosystem.

The Town of Five Points does not maintain its own police department. Primary law enforcement services for Five Points are provided by the Chambers County Sheriff's Office, located at 111 South Court Square, LaFayette, AL 36862. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (334) 864-7842, and their website is www.chamberscountyalsheriff.com. The Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction throughout unincorporated areas of Chambers County and provides contracted services to smaller municipalities including Five Points. Residents can request police reports, incident reports, and accident reports by visiting the Sheriff's Office in person or submitting written requests. Alabama law enforcement records are governed by the Alabama Open Records Act (Code of Alabama § 36-12-40 et seq.), which establishes that most law enforcement records are public unless specifically exempted for active investigations or personal privacy concerns. Arrest records and jail bookings for individuals detained in Chambers County can be searched through the Chambers County Detention Facility inmate roster. The detention facility is located at 3425 20th Avenue, Valley, AL 36854, phone (334) 768-9405. The online inmate search is typically available through the Sheriff's Office website and displays current inmates with information including full name, booking date, charges filed, bond amount, and booking photographs. Historical arrest records can be obtained by contacting the Sheriff's Office Records Division directly. Alabama law requires that booking information be made available to the public within a reasonable time after arrest. For state-level criminal history searches, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) maintains records that can be requested through their Criminal History Record Check system, though certified background checks typically require fingerprinting and proper authorization forms.

Death certificates cost $15.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for additional copies. Alabama law restricts access to birth certificates to the person named on the certificate (if of legal age), parents, legal guardians, or legal representatives. Death certificates have fewer restrictions but require proof of tangible interest. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks for mail requests, though expedited service is available for additional fees through VitalChek. Birth records in Alabama are available from January 1908 forward, and death records from January 1908 forward, with some earlier records available. Applications can also be submitted in person at the Chambers County Health Department, located at 202 South 16th Street, Lanett, AL 36863, phone (334) 644-2170, which forwards applications to the state office. Marriage licenses in Alabama are issued through the Probate Court of each county. The Chambers County Probate Court, 2 LaFayette Street, LaFayette, AL 36862, phone (334) 864-4330, issues marriage licenses. As of January 1, 2019, Alabama no longer requires marriage ceremonies or recording of solemnizations; instead, couples submit a marriage certificate form with notarized affidavits. The fee is approximately $82.00. Marriage records are maintained permanently by the Probate Court. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Circuit Court where the divorce was granted; certified copies can be obtained from the Chambers County Circuit Court Clerk at the courthouse.

For unincorporated areas of Chambers County, businesses should verify licensing requirements with the Chambers County Commission, located at 2 LaFayette Street, LaFayette, AL 36862, phone (334) 864-4360. Alabama does not have a statewide general business license requirement, but specific regulated industries require state-level licenses. Fictitious business name registrations (Doing Business As or DBA filings) in Alabama are filed with the Probate Court of the county where the business operates. The Chambers County Probate Court, phone (334) 864-4330, handles DBA registrations for businesses operating in Five Points and throughout Chambers County. The filing fee is typically $10.00 for the initial registration and $5.00 for renewals. DBAs must be renewed every five years in Alabama. Corporation, LLC, and other business entity registrations are handled by the Alabama Secretary of State's Office. The Business Services Division can be reached at (334) 242-5324, and their online business entity search is available at https://www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities/search. This database allows searches by business name, entity number, or registered agent, displaying entity status, formation date, principal address, registered agent information, and officers/members for active entities. UCC financing statements (liens on personal property and business assets) are filed with the Alabama Secretary of State's UCC Division and can be searched online through the Secretary of State's website. Commercial property tax information for businesses operating in Five Points can be accessed through the Chambers County Revenue Commissioner's office online property search system, where assessed values and tax payment history for commercial parcels are publicly searchable.

Five Points voters are served by the Chambers County Board of Registrars and the Chambers County Absentee Election Manager, with offices located at the Chambers County Courthouse, 2 LaFayette Street, LaFayette, AL 36862. The Absentee Election Manager can be reached at (334) 864-4348, and election information is available through the Alabama Secretary of State's website at www.sos.alabama.gov. Alabama residents can register to vote online through the Alabama Voter Registration system at https://www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/voter_registration/, by mail using a voter registration application, or in person at the Board of Registrars office. The voter registration deadline in Alabama is 15 days before any election. Applicants must provide their Alabama driver's license or non-driver ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Five Points, as an incorporated municipality, holds town elections for mayor and town council positions. Alabama municipal elections are typically held in August, with municipalities following four-year terms for elected officials. The next scheduled municipal election cycle for Five Points would follow Alabama's municipal election calendar, with the 2024 cycle having taken place in August 2024. Residents can find information about local candidates and town elections by contacting the Five Points Town Hall or the Chambers County Probate Court, which certifies municipal election results. Polling place assignments for Five Points voters can be found using the Alabama Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview, where voters enter their name and date of birth to find their assigned precinct and polling location. In the November 5, 2024 general election, Chambers County saw approximately 12,500 voters participate, representing roughly 50% turnout of registered voters, consistent with Alabama's overall turnout in the presidential election. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Five Points and Chambers County voters will decide critical statewide and local races. Alabama will hold elections for Governor (term expiring 2027), all seven U.S. House seats, all 35 Alabama Senate seats, all 105 Alabama House seats, and various county offices including Chambers County Commission seats, Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner, and Probate Judge. The U.S. Senate seat currently held by Katie Britt will not be up for election in 2026 (next election 2028), but the seat held by Tommy Tuberville will be on the ballot in 2026. Statewide constitutional officers including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, and others will also be decided. Alabama voters can request absentee ballots by submitting a written application to the Absentee Election Manager; applications are available at https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/absentee-voting. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Thursday before the election for regular absentee voting, though emergency and military/overseas absentee provisions have different deadlines. Alabama requires an excuse for absentee voting, with qualifying reasons including being out of the county on election day, illness or physical disability, working required hours that prevent voting, being a caregiver, or being over age 70. Election records that are public in Alabama include voter registration lists (available with restrictions), campaign finance reports filed with the Alabama Ethics Commission (searchable at https://ethics.alabama.gov/search/PublicEmployeeSearch.aspx), candidate qualifying information maintained by the Secretary of State and county officials, and precinct-level election results published by the Secretary of State and county election officials after each election.