Code of Alabama
Ala. Code § 15-5-30 (2026)
Authority of Peace Officer to Stop and Question.
✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
A sheriff or other officer acting as sheriff, his deputy or any constable, acting within their respective counties, any marshal, deputy marshal or policeman of any incorporated city or town within the limits of the county or any highway patrolman or state trooper may stop any person abroad in a public place whom he reasonably suspects is committing, has committed or is about to commit a felony or other public offense and may demand of him his name, address and an explanation of his actions.
(Acts 1966, Ex. Sess., No. 157, p. 183, §1.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 35
cases (12 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case: Hiibel v. Sixth Jud. Dist. Court of Nev., Humboldt Cty., 542 U.S. 177 (2004).
Hiibel v. Sixth Jud. Dist. Court of Nev., Humboldt Cty., 542 U.S. 177 (2004). “See Ala. Code § 15-5-30 (West 2003); Ark. Code Ann.”
McCray v. City of Dothan, 169 F. Supp. 2d 1260 (M.D. Ala. 2001). “CODE § 32-10-2 108 or failing to notify the owner upon striking an unattend *1278 ed vehicle under ALA.CODE § 32-10-3. 109 Therefore, they argue that they had authority to approach McCray to obtain his name and address and to use some amount of non-excessive force in removing…”
Mocek v. City of Albuquerque, 813 F.3d 912 (10th Cir. 2015). “See Ala.Code § 15-5-30; 725 111. Comp. Stat. 5/107-14; Kan.”
Shaw v. City of Selma, 241 F. Supp. 3d 1253 (S.D. Ala. 2017). “See Ala. Code § 15-5-30 (police officer "may stop any person abroad in a public place whom he reasonably suspects is committing, has committed or is about to commit a felony or other public offense and may demand of him his name, address and an explanation of his actions”)…”
Roland Edger v. Krista McCabe, 83 F.4th 858 (11th Cir. 2023). “Edger’s arrest because he violated Alabama’s Stop-and-Identify statute, Alabama Code § 15-5-30. The Stop-and- Identify statute allows an Alabama police officer who “reasonably suspects” a crime is being, has been, or is about to be committed to stop a person in public and…”
Hopkins v. State, 661 So. 2d 774 (Ala. Crim. App. 1994). “On appeal, the State asserts that the facts that the appellant and Thomas began walking quickly away as the deputies arrived and that they failed to obey the deputies' commands to stop provided "reasonable suspicion" and "probable cause" to believe that they were involved in…”
Jennings v. Smith (N.D. Ala. 2025). “Further, the answer to this question may determine the outcome of the case before this court because it will resolve whether there was probable cause (and thus qualified immunity3) for officers to arrest an individual for violating Alabama Code § 15-5-30, when that individual…”
State v. Davis, 7 So. 3d 468 (Ala. Crim. App. 2008). “” § 15-5-30, Ala.Code 1975. See also Richardson v.”
Harris v. State, 568 So. 2d 421 (Ala. Crim. App. 1990). “Section 15-5-30, Code of Alabama (1975), authorizes the police, without probable cause, to "stop any person abroad in a public place whom he reasonably suspects is committing, has committed or is about to commit a felony or other public offense and [to] demand of him, his name,…”
Crawley v. State, 440 So. 2d 1148 (Ala. Crim. App. 1983). “1979); Alabama Code Section 15-5-30 (1975); 3 Search Sections 9.”
Walker v. City of Mobile, 508 So. 2d 1209 (Ala. Crim. App. 1987). “Section 15-5-30, Code of Alabama 1975, recognizes and sanctions a law enforcement officer's right to stop a person for questioning on less than probable cause by providing that an officer "may stop any person abroad in a public place whom he reasonably suspects is committing,…”
Richardson v. City of Trussville, 492 So. 2d 625 (Ala. Crim. App. 1986). “Section 15-5-30, Code of Alabama 1975, reads: "A sheriff or other officer acting as sheriff, his deputy or any constable, acting within their respective counties, any marshal, deputy marshal or policeman of any incorporated city or town within the limits of the county or any…”
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