The original civil jurisdiction of the district court of Alabama shall be uniform throughout the state, concurrent with the circuit court, except as otherwise provided, and shall include all civil actions in which the matter in controversy does not exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), exclusive of interest and costs, and civil actions based on unlawful detainer; except, that the district court shall not exercise jurisdiction over any of the following matters:
(1) Actions seeking equitable relief other than:
a. Equitable questions arising in juvenile cases within the jurisdiction of the district court.
b. Equitable defenses asserted or compulsory counterclaims filed by any party in any civil action within the jurisdiction of the district court.
(2) Any actions enumerated in Rule 81 of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure other than any of the following:
a. Actions based in negligence against municipalities.
b. Actions seeking substitution of lost or destroyed records or instruments.
c. Summary motion proceedings.
d. Relieving disabilities of nonage.
(3) Actions seeking declaratory judgments.
(4) Appeals from probate or municipal courts.
(Acts 1975, No. 1205, p. 2384, §4-102; Acts 1995, No. 95-606, p. 1278, §1; Act 2019-405, §1.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
20
cases (
5 in the last 5 years), 1980–2025 · leading case:
Darby v. Schley, 8 So. 3d 1011 (Ala. Civ. App. 2008).
Darby v. Schley, 8 So. 3d 1011 (Ala. Civ. App. 2008).
· cites it 2× “Although § 6-6-336 authorizes Schley to assert his claim to an ownership interest in the property as a defense to Darby’s claim for damages, Schley’s assertion of that defense did not deprive the Shelby District Court of jurisdiction *1014 because Schley's claim to an ownership…”
Nue Cheer Franklin v. Justin Matthew Parnell, 461 F. App'x 823 (11th Cir. 2011).
“” Ala. Code § 12-12-30 . Franklin’s state court suit claimed $10,000 in damages; therefore, the state district court was a court of competent jurisdiction.”
Ex Parte CSX Transp., Inc., 533 So. 2d 613 (Ala. Civ. App. 1987).
· cites it 6× “As explained above, § 12-12-31(a) gives the district court " exclusive jurisdiction over all civil actions in which the matter in controversy .”
CSX Transp., Inc. v. Owens, 533 So. 2d 617 (Ala. 1988).
· cites it 2× “” The civil jurisdiction of the district court is set out in Ala. Code 1975, § 12-12-30: “The original civil jurisdiction of the district court of Alabama shall be uniform throughout the state, concurrent with the circuit court, except as otherwise herein provided, and shall…”
Brewer v. Bradley, 431 So. 2d 544 (Ala. Civ. App. 1983).
“§ 12-12-30, Code 1975. However, that total was subject to amendment or revision by the defendant.”
Hargett v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, 68 So. 3d 837 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011).
“Section 12-12-30(3), Ala.Code 1975, expressly excludes “[ajctions seeking declaratory judgments” from the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district court.”
King v. Hous. Auth. Etc., 496 F. Supp. 800 (N.D. Ala. 1980).
“Code of Alabama, § 12-12-30 (1975). Rule 26(dc) of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure provides that discovery in the district courts of Alabama is within the discretion of the court.”
Jetton v. Lindsey, 529 So. 2d 1018 (Ala. Civ. App. 1988).
“Therefore, it was not required by statute to be filed in the district court, see § 12-12-30, Ala.Code 1975, and was properly before the circuit court.”
Morrow v. Pake, 263 So. 3d 1054 (Ala. Civ. App. 2018).
· cites it 2× “See § 12-12-30, Ala. Code 1975 (providing, in relevant part, that district courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over "all civil actions in which the matter in controversy does not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), exclusive of interests and costs").”
Morrow v. Pake, 263 So. 3d 1054 (Ala. Civ. App. 2018).
· cites it 2× “See § 12-12-30, Ala. Code 1975 (providing, in relevant part, that district courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over "all civil actions in which the matter in controversy does not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), exclusive of interests and costs").”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-30(3) — 2 cases
Hargett v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, 68 So. 3d 837 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011).
“Section 12-12-30(3), Ala.Code 1975, expressly excludes “[ajctions seeking declaratory judgments” from the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district court.”
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