Grady, Alabama Public Records

The Montgomery County District Court, phone (334) 832-1330, has jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal offenses, civil cases valued under $10,000, evictions, small claims (up to $6,000), and preliminary hearings for felony cases. The Montgomery County Probate Court, phone (334) 832-1260, handles estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health commitments, marriage licenses, and name changes. Montgomery County also has a Municipal Court system for the City of Montgomery, but Grady residents living outside city limits typically do not appear there unless cited within Montgomery city limits. Alabama court records can be searched online through the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts' Alacourt system at https://www.alacourt.com, though full access requires a paid subscription ($20/month or $1 per search for individual cases). Case information including party names, case numbers, filing dates, dispositions, and judgments are searchable. The Montgomery County Clerk of Circuit Court maintains the official court record archives and can provide certified copies of court documents. Fees for certified copies are $1.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page, plus a $2.00 certification fee per document, pursuant to Alabama Code § 12-19-90. Walk-in access to public court records is available during regular business hours at the Clerk's office on the first floor of the courthouse.

The Revenue Commissioner's website at http://revenue.montgomeryal.gov offers a free online property search tool where Grady residents can search parcels by owner name, street address, or parcel identification number to view current assessed values, tax amounts due and paid, property characteristics (square footage, year built, land acreage), and ownership history. The Montgomery County Probate Judge's Office, located at 251 South Lawrence Street (Courthouse), Montgomery, AL 36104, phone (334) 832-1260, serves as the county's land records office and Recorder of Deeds. This office maintains and records all real property documents including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, easements, right-of-way agreements, subdivision plats, and releases. Many historical land records dating back to the 1800s are available for public inspection. The Probate Judge's office provides online access to recorded land documents through a subscription service available at http://probate.montgomeryal.gov, though fees apply for document images. Walk-in researchers can access land record indexes and copies at the Probate Office during business hours. Recording fees for new documents are $19.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page. Montgomery County also maintains a GIS (Geographic Information System) parcel viewer accessible through the county website, allowing users to view interactive property maps, aerial imagery, zoning information, floodplain data, and property boundaries for all parcels in Grady and throughout the county.

Many Grady residents work for major Montgomery-area employers including Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex (which together employ over 12,000 military and civilian personnel), Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama in Montgomery (approximately 3,000 employees), the State of Alabama government offices, Baptist Health and Jackson Hospital medical centers, and Montgomery Public Schools. The limited commercial activity in Grady itself consists mainly of small-scale service businesses, convenience stores along Highway 331, agricultural supply operations, and home-based businesses. Median household income data specific to Grady is not separately tracked due to its unincorporated status, but southeastern Montgomery County census tracts in the Grady vicinity show median household incomes ranging from approximately $35,000 to $55,000, generally below the Montgomery County median of around $52,000. The area has seen modest residential development in recent years as families seek affordable housing with larger lots outside the Montgomery city limits, though growth remains limited compared to northern and western Montgomery County suburbs. Grady's economic character remains that of a quiet rural community serving as affordable residential land for commuters, retirees, and families seeking a country lifestyle within reasonable driving distance of the state capital's employment and services.

Grady, Alabama does not have its own incorporated police department. Law enforcement services for the Grady community are provided by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, located at 100 South Lawrence Street, Montgomery, AL 36104. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (334) 832-4980, and their website is http://www.mc-ala.org/sheriff. The Sheriff's Office handles patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and emergency response for unincorporated areas of Montgomery County including Grady. Residents can request copies of incident reports, accident reports, and police records 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), which provides public access to most law enforcement records, though active investigation files and certain sensitive information may be exempt. Arrests and jail bookings for individuals detained in Montgomery County can be searched through the Montgomery County Detention Facility inmate roster, available online at the Sheriff's Office website. The online inmate search provides information including the arrestee's name, booking date, charges filed, bond amount, booking photograph (mugshot), and current custody status. The Montgomery County Detention Facility is located at 120 South McDonough Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, phone (334) 832-1335. To obtain certified copies of arrest records or booking reports for background checks or legal purposes, requesters must submit a formal public records request to the Sheriff's Office, typically including the individual's full name, date of birth, and approximate date of incident. Processing times vary depending on the age and complexity of records requested, and reasonable copy fees may apply per Alabama statute.

Alabama birth records from 1908 forward and death records from 1908 forward are available through this office. Certified copies can be ordered online through VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com (additional processing fees apply), by mail with a completed application form, or in person at the Montgomery office. Eligible requesters include the person named on the certificate (if of legal age), parents, legal guardians, legal representatives, and persons with a direct and tangible interest; valid government-issued photo identification is required. Processing time is typically 2-3 weeks for mail requests and same-day for walk-in requests if records are readily available. Marriage licenses for Grady residents are issued by the Montgomery County Probate Court, 251 South Lawrence Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, phone (334) 832-1260. As of January 1, 2019, Alabama no longer issues traditional marriage licenses; instead, couples submit a marriage certificate form and pay a $74.00 filing fee, with no ceremony or witnesses required. Marriage records dating back to the early 1800s are maintained by the Probate Court and are public records searchable by the public. Divorce records are filed with the Montgomery County Circuit Court as part of civil case files and can be accessed through the Circuit Clerk's office at the same courthouse address, phone (334) 832-1260. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $1.00 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page, plus $2.00 certification fee.

Fictitious business name registrations (Doing Business As or DBA filings) for businesses in Grady are filed with the Montgomery County Probate Court, 251 South Lawrence Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, phone (334) 832-1260. The filing fee for a trade name is $10.00, and filings must be published in a local newspaper of general circulation. Alabama state-level business entity formation and registration is handled by the Alabama Secretary of State, Corporations Division, located at 600 Dexter Avenue, Suite S-105, Montgomery, AL 36104, phone (334) 242-5324. The Secretary of State maintains a free online business entity search at https://www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities where users can search for corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other registered entities. The search provides information on entity name, status (active, dissolved, withdrawn), registration date, registered agent name and address, principal office address, and officer names for corporations. New business formations can be filed online through the same portal. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements and lien searches for Grady businesses are also filed with and searchable through the Alabama Secretary of State's UCC Division at https://www.sos.alabama.gov/ucc-search. Commercial property tax assessments for business-owned real estate in Grady can be searched through the Montgomery County Revenue Commissioner's online property database at http://revenue.montgomeryal.gov, using the business name or property address to locate assessed values and tax obligations.

Grady voters are served by the Montgomery County Board of Registrars and the Montgomery County Probate Judge's Elections Division, located at 251 South Lawrence Street (Montgomery County Courthouse), Montgomery, AL 36104, phone (334) 832-1260. The Probate Judge serves as the county's chief elections official. Alabama residents can register to vote online through the Alabama Secretary of State's website at https://www.alabamainteractive.org/sos/voter_registration, or by submitting a paper National Mail Voter Registration Form available at the Registrars office, public libraries, and DMV offices. The voter registration deadline in Alabama is 15 days before any election. Voters must provide a valid Alabama driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering. Since Grady is unincorporated and has no municipal government, residents do not vote in city or town elections. Instead, Grady voters participate in Montgomery County, State of Alabama, and federal elections. Montgomery County holds elections for County Commission seats, Sheriff, Revenue Commissioner, Probate Judge, Circuit Court judges, District Court judges, Board of Education members, and other county offices. State legislative elections include seats for the Alabama State Senate (District 26 represents the Grady area) and Alabama House of Representatives (District 77 covers this region). To find their assigned polling place, Grady voters can use the Alabama Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/VoterView or contact the Montgomery County Board of Registrars. In the November 2024 presidential election, Montgomery County reported approximately 104,000 registered voters with a turnout of roughly 62%, representing about 64,000 ballots cast countywide. Public election records in Alabama include voter registration lists (available with restrictions to prevent misuse), campaign finance reports filed with the Alabama Secretary of State's Fair Campaign Practices Act division, candidate qualification documents, precinct-level election results, and absentee ballot application records. These are accessible through the county Probate Judge's office and the Alabama Secretary of State at https://www.sos.alabama.gov. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature races for Alabama Governor (current term expires January 2027), all seven of Alabama's U.S. House seats, all 35 Alabama State Senate seats, all 105 Alabama House seats, and various Montgomery County offices including County Commission, Sheriff (4-year term), and judicial positions. Alabama does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (next Senate election is 2028). To request an absentee ballot in Alabama, voters must submit an absentee ballot application to the Montgomery County Absentee Election Manager at the Probate Court address; applications are available at https://www.sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/absentee-voting. Alabama requires an excuse for absentee voting, including being age 65+, illness, disability, working required hours that prevent polling place voting, being out of the county on election day, election official or poll worker, or being a student. The absentee ballot application deadline is typically 5 days before the election for mail ballots.