Code of Alabama

Ala. Code § 6-6-221 (2026)

Purpose, Construction, and Administration of Article.

✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
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This article is declared to be remedial; its purpose is to settle and to afford relief from uncertainty and insecurity with respects to rights, status, and other legal relations and is to be liberally construed and administered. This article shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it and to harmonize, as far as possible, with federal laws and regulations on the subject of declaratory judgments.

(Acts 1935, No. 355, p. 777; Code 1940, T. 7, §167; Acts 1947, No. 604, p. 444.)

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 24 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1981–2025 · leading case: Alabama Dept. of Transp. v. Harbert Intern., Inc., 990 So. 2d 831 (Ala. 2008).
Alabama Dept. of Transp. v. Harbert Intern., Inc., 990 So. 2d 831 (Ala. 2008). · cites it 2× “7, § 167 (now Ala.Code 1975, § 6-6-221), we further explained why a declaratory-judgment action is not barred by § 14: "`But we have held that when an officer of the State is confronted with an uncertain problem of what the law means which requires certain acts on his part, or…”
Poiroux v. Rich, 150 So. 3d 1027 (Ala. 2014). · cites it 2× “7, § 167 (now Ala.Code 1975, § 6-6-221) (emphasis added).”
Ex Parte Russell, 31 So. 3d 694 (Ala. Civ. App. 2009). · cites it 4× “Code 1975, § 6-6-221), we further explained why a declaratory-judgment action is not barred by § 14: "`But we have held that when an officer of the State is confronted with an uncertain problem of what the law means which requires certain acts on his part, or whether the law is…”
McDaniel v. Harleysville Mut. Ins. Co., 2100622 (ala.civ.app. 10-28-2011), 84 So. 3d 106 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011). · cites it 2× “See Ala.Code § 6-6-221 (1975).” Thus, the McDaniels argued, the declaratory judgment issued by the federal court was not binding on them and Harleysville’s motion was due to be denied.”
Federated Guar. Life Ins. Co. v. Bragg, 393 So. 2d 1386 (Ala. 1981). · cites it 2× “" *1389 Code of Ala. 1975, § 6-6-221. Section 6-6-223 specifically provides that any party to a contract may bring a declaratory judgment action to determine the validity of that contract.”
Tyson v. Macon Cnty. Greyhound Park, Inc., 43 So. 3d 587 (Ala. 2010). “The purpose of the Declaratory Judgment Act “is to settle and to afford relief from uncertainty and insecurity with respect to rights, status, and other legal relations and [it] is to be liberally construed and administered.”
Morton v. Allstate Ins. Co., 486 So. 2d 1263 (Ala. 1986). · cites it 2× “' Code of Ala. 1975, § 6-6-221. Section 6-6-223 specifically provides that any party to a contract may bring a declaratory judgment action to determine the validity of that contract.”
Ex Parte State Ex Rel. James, 711 So. 2d 952 (Ala. 1998). “" § 6-6-221. More specifically, Alabama law establishes that the Declaratory Judgment Act extends "to cases involving public rights or important public matters and to controversies in which the legality of action of public officials or public agencies is challenged.”
MacKenzie v. First Alabama Bank, 598 So. 2d 1367 (Ala. 1992). “" Section 6-6-221 includes the legislature's statements that the declaratory judgment article is intended to "afford relief from uncertainty and insecurity" and that the article should be construed to that end so long as such a construction is consistent with other state law and…”
E. Cent. Baldwin Cnty. Water v. Town of Summerdale (Ex parte Town of Summerdale), 252 So. 3d 111 (Ala. 2016). “" § 6-6-221, Ala.Code 1975. This Court has explained: "It is true that 'declaratory-judgment actions are designed to be preemptive,' but this is because they seek to ' "set controversies to rest before they lead to repudiation of obligations, invasion of rights, and the…”
Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exch. v. Grayson, 226 So. 3d 653 (Ala. 2016). “1975; § 6-6-221. Section 6-6-223 specifically provides that any party to a contract may bring a declaratory judgment action to determine the validity of that contract.”
Suggs v. Gray, 265 So. 3d 226 (Ala. 2018). “Section 6-6-221, Ala. Code 1975, states that the purpose of a declaratory-judgment action "is to settle and to afford relief from uncertainty and insecurity with respects to rights, status, and other legal relations and [the declaratory-judgment act] is to be liberally construed…”
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