Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure
Cited as Ala. R. Civ. P. · 97 active rules
The Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure govern how civil cases proceed in Alabama's circuit and district courts. Browse the full set below, organized by Title. Plain-English summaries, FAQs, and full rule text are being added rule by rule.
Source: Alabama Administrative Office of Courts ·
Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alabama (Ala. Const. amend. 328, § 6.11) ·
Current through April 9, 2026 ·
Official source
Title I. Scope of Rules — One Form of Action
Title II. Commencement of Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions, and Orders
- Rule 3 Commencement of action.
- Rule 4 Process: General and miscellaneous provisions.
- Rule 4.1 Service of Other Process.
- Rule 4.2 Process. Basis for and methods of out-of-state service.
- Rule 4.3 Process: Service by publication.
- Rule 4.4 Process: Basis for and methods of service in a foreign country.
- Rule 5 Service and filing of pleadings and other papers.
- Rule 5.1 Privacy Protection for Court Filings.
- Rule 6 Computing and Extending Time; Time for Motion Papers.
Title III. Pleadings and Motions
- Rule 7 Pleadings allowed; form of motions.
- Rule 8 General rules of pleading.
- Rule 9 Pleading special matters.
- Rule 10 Form of pleadings.
- Rule 11 Signing of pleadings, motions, or other papers.
- Rule 12 Defenses and objections—When and how presented—By pleading or motion—Motion for judgment on the pleadings.
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and cross-claim.
- Rule 14 Third-party practice.
- Rule 15 Amended and supplemental pleadings.
- Rule 16 Pre-trial conferences; scheduling; management.
Title IV. Parties
- Rule 17 Parties plaintiff and defendant; capacity.
- Rule 18 Joinder of claims and remedies.
- Rule 19 Joinder of persons needed for just adjudication.
- Rule 20 Permissive joinder of parties.
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and nonjoinder of parties.
- Rule 22 Interpleader.
- Rule 23 Class actions.
- Rule 23.1 Derivative actions by shareholders.
- Rule 23.2 Actions relating to unincorporated associations.
- Rule 24 Intervention.
- Rule 25 Substitution of parties.
Title V. Depositions and Discovery
- Rule 26 General provisions governing discovery.
- Rule 27 Discovery before action or pending appeal.
- Rule 28 Persons before whom depositions may be taken.
- Rule 29 Stipulations regarding discovery procedure.
- Rule 30 Depositions upon oral examination.
- Rule 31 Depositions upon written questions.
- Rule 32 Use of depositions in court proceedings.
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to parties.
- Rule 34 Production of documents and things and entry upon land for inspection and other purposes.
- Rule 35 Physical and mental examination of persons.
- Rule 36 Requests for admission.
- Rule 37 Failure to make discovery: Sanctions.
Title VI. Trials
- Rule 38 Jury trial of right.
- Rule 39 Trial by jury or by the court.
- Rule 40 Assignment of cases for trial.
- Rule 41 Dismissal of actions.
- Rule 42 Consolidation: Separate trials.
- Rule 43 Evidence.
- Rule 44 Proof of documents.
- Rule 44.1 Determination of foreign law.
- Rule 45 Subpoena.
- Rule 46 Exceptions unnecessary.
- Rule 47 Jurors.
- Rule 48 Juries of less than twelve — Majority verdict.
- Rule 49 General verdicts, special verdicts, and interrogatories.
- Rule 50 Judgment as a matter of law in actions tried by jury; alternative motion for new trial; conditional rulings.
- Rule 51 Instructions to jury: Objection.
- Rule 52 Findings by the court; judgment on partial findings.
- Rule 53 Masters.
Title VII. Judgment
- Rule 54 Judgments; costs.
- Rule 55 Default.
- Rule 56 Summary judgment.
- Rule 57 Declaratory judgments.
- Rule 58 Rendition and entry of orders and judgments.
- Rule 59 New trials; amendment of judgments.
- Rule 59.1 Disposition of motion for new trial and other postjudgment motions.
- Rule 60 Relief from judgment or order.
- Rule 61 Harmless error.
- Rule 62 Stay of proceedings to enforce a judgment.
- Rule 63 Inability of a judge to proceed.
Title VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies and Special Proceedings
- Rule 64 Seizure of person or property.
- Rule 64A Notice to defendant of right to claim exemption from garnishment.
- Rule 64B Contest of claim of exemption — Garnishment of money, choses in action or personal property.
- Rule 65 Injunctions.
- Rule 65.1 Security: Proceedings against sureties.
- Rule 66 Receivers.
- Rule 67 Deposit in court.
- Rule 68 Offer of judgment.
- Rule 69 Execution.
- Rule 70 Judgment for specific acts; vesting title.
- Rule 70A Contempt in civil cases.
- Rule 71 Process in behalf of and against persons not parties.
- Rule 71A Condemnation of property. Omitted
- Rule 71B Appeals from arbitration awards.
- Rule 71C Enforcement of arbitration awards.
Title IX. Appeals
- Rule 72 Omitted. Omitted
- Rule 73 Omitted. Omitted
- Rule 74 Omitted. Omitted
- Rule 75 Omitted. Omitted
- Rule 76 Omitted. Omitted
Title X. Circuit Courts and Clerks
Title XI. General Provisions
Alabama numbers its rules 1 through 87, with decimal and lettered rules added over time as procedures were split out (for example 4.1-4.4, 5.1, 23.1-23.2, 44.1, 59.1, 64A-64B, 65.1, 70A, and 71A-71C). Rule 71A and Rules 72 through 76 carry no operative text and are officially “[Omitted]” — Rule 71A because the Committee never adapted a state condemnation rule (that subject runs through the probate courts instead), and Rules 72 through 76 because Alabama deliberately kept the numbers open after the federal appellate rules they once tracked were abrogated in 1968, so its own numbering would keep matching Federal Rules 77 through 86. Both are shown here for completeness.