Code of Alabama
Ala. Code § 12-12-32 (2026)
Criminal Jurisdiction Generally.
✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
(a) Misdemeanors. The district court shall have exclusive original trial jurisdiction over prosecutions of all offenses defined by law or ordinance as misdemeanors, except:
(1) Prosecutions by municipalities having municipal courts;
(2) Any such prosecution which also involves a felony offense which is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the circuit court, except as the district court is empowered to hold preliminary hearings with respect to felonies and to receive guilty pleas as provided in subsection (b) of this section; and
(3) Any misdemeanor for which an indictment has been returned by a grand jury.
(b) Felonies.
(1) The district court may exercise original jurisdiction concurrent with the circuit court to receive pleas of guilty in prosecutions of offenses defined by law as felonies not punishable by sentence of death.
(2) The district court shall have jurisdiction to hold preliminary hearings in prosecutions for felonies as provided for in Title 15 of this code.
(Acts 1975, No. 1205, p. 2384, §4-106.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15
cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1991–2026 · leading case: Davis v. State, 806 So. 2d 404 (Ala. Crim. App. 2001).
Davis v. State, 806 So. 2d 404 (Ala. Crim. App. 2001). “"The conflict between § 12-12-32 and § 12-12-51 was resolved in Wright v.”
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 655 (Ala. 2018). “§ 12-12-32(a)(1), Ala. Code 1975. District courts have limited jurisdiction with regard to felony cases.”
Woods v. State, 224 So. 3d 677 (Ala. Crim. App. 2016). “[[Image here]] “Section 12-12-32 is titled ‘Criminal jurisdiction generally' and refers to all misdemeanors.”
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 683 (Ala. Crim. App. 2017). “On appeal of that issue, this Court held that the district court did not have jurisdiction to rule on Drinkard's motion to view the crime scene because the circuit court has exclusive jurisdiction of all felony prosecutions punishable by the sentence of death, citing § 12-12-32,…”
Drinkard v. State, 777 So. 2d 225 (Ala. Crim. App. 1998). “) While the district court did have jurisdiction to conduct the appellant's preliminary hearing, see §§ 12-12-32 and 15-11-2, Code of Alabama 1975, it did not have jurisdiction to rule on the appellant's motion to view the crime scenethe circuit court has exclusive jurisdiction…”
G.M. v. T.W., 75 So. 3d 1181 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011). “Code 1975, § 12-15-117(a), which restricts a juvenile court’s continuing jurisdiction over a child to cases in which a child has been declared dependent, delinquent, or in need of supervision, with the language of former Ala. Code 1975, § 12-12-32, which did not so restrict the…”
State v. Parker, 740 So. 2d 421 (Ala. Crim. App. 1997). “See § 12-11-30(2) and § 12-12-32(b)(1), Code of Alabama 1975. Thus, in the present case, the trial court properly denied the appellant's motion to dismiss the indictment, which charged the *424 prior convictions as elements of the present offense, but erred in granting the…”
Marshall v. State, 25 So. 3d 1190 (Ala. 2009). “2d at 1139, was based on § 12-12-32(3), Ala.Code 1975, which provides that the district court will have original trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors except "[a]ny misdemeanor for which an indictment has been returned by a grand jury.”
Matthews v. City of Birmingham, 581 So. 2d 15 (Ala. Crim. App. 1991). “2(b) is based is Ala.Code 1975, § 12-12-32,_” (Emphasis added.”
City of Birmingham v. Mark Pettway, in his Off. capacity as Sheriff of Jefferson Cnty., & the Jefferson Cnty. Comm'n (Ala. 2025). “See also, Ala. Code §§ 12-12-32 , 12-14-1, 14-6- 1, 14-6-5[] (1975).”
Santori Little v. The City of Valley, Alabama (11th Cir. 2025). “See Ala. Code § 12-12-32 (a); USCA11 Case: 24-10120 Document: 50-1 Date Filed: 11/25/2025 Page: 8 of 13 8 Opinion of the Court 24-10120 see also Patton v.”
State of Alabama v. Jeri Bonar (Ala. Crim. App. 2026). “2022) ("We acknowledge Horton's argument that, although his right to a speedy trial attached when he was arrested, it would have been futile to assert that right in the district court because, he says, the district court—as a court of limited criminal jurisdiction, see §…”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(3) — 1 case
Marshall v. State, 25 So. 3d 1190 (Ala. 2009). “2d at 1139, was based on § 12-12-32(3), Ala.Code 1975, which provides that the district court will have original trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors except "[a]ny misdemeanor for which an indictment has been returned by a grand jury.”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(a) — 3 cases
Woods v. State, 224 So. 3d 677 (Ala. Crim. App. 2016). “[[Image here]] “Section 12-12-32 is titled ‘Criminal jurisdiction generally' and refers to all misdemeanors.”
Matthews v. City of Birmingham, 581 So. 2d 15 (Ala. Crim. App. 1991). “2(b) is based is Ala.Code 1975, § 12-12-32,_” (Emphasis added.”
Baker v. State, 890 So. 2d 185 (Ala. Crim. App. 2003).
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(a)(1) — 1 case
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 655 (Ala. 2018). “§ 12-12-32(a)(1), Ala. Code 1975. District courts have limited jurisdiction with regard to felony cases.”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(a)(3) — 1 case
Woods v. State, 224 So. 3d 677 (Ala. Crim. App. 2016). “[[Image here]] “Section 12-12-32 is titled ‘Criminal jurisdiction generally' and refers to all misdemeanors.”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(b) — 2 cases
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 655 (Ala. 2018). “§ 12-12-32(a)(1), Ala. Code 1975. District courts have limited jurisdiction with regard to felony cases.”
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 683 (Ala. Crim. App. 2017). “On appeal of that issue, this Court held that the district court did not have jurisdiction to rule on Drinkard's motion to view the crime scene because the circuit court has exclusive jurisdiction of all felony prosecutions punishable by the sentence of death, citing § 12-12-32,…”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(b)(1) — 3 cases
Davis v. State, 806 So. 2d 404 (Ala. Crim. App. 2001). “"The conflict between § 12-12-32 and § 12-12-51 was resolved in Wright v.”
State v. Parker, 740 So. 2d 421 (Ala. Crim. App. 1997). “See § 12-11-30(2) and § 12-12-32(b)(1), Code of Alabama 1975. Thus, in the present case, the trial court properly denied the appellant's motion to dismiss the indictment, which charged the *424 prior convictions as elements of the present offense, but erred in granting the…”
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 655 (Ala. 2018). “§ 12-12-32(a)(1), Ala. Code 1975. District courts have limited jurisdiction with regard to felony cases.”
— Ala. Code § 12-12-32(b)(2) — 1 case
State v. Brown (Ex parte State), 259 So. 3d 655 (Ala. 2018). “§ 12-12-32(a)(1), Ala. Code 1975. District courts have limited jurisdiction with regard to felony cases.”
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