Madison County Jail and Court Lookup: Find the Arrest, Verify the Person and Follow the Case
A Madison County arrest can create several separate records. The Sheriff’s inmate roster shows the jail booking, the arresting agency maintains its incident documents, and the Circuit Clerk maintains the criminal court case.
This guide brings the important local procedures into one page: how to search the roster, understand charges and bonds, request reports, locate the court case, arrange visits, send mail, add money, handle property and review statewide Alabama records.
Search by a first or last name.
256-519-4800, 24 hours.
815 Wheeler Avenue, Huntsville.
Official sources reviewed July 28, 2026.
Which Madison County record answers your question?
Use the roster for the booking number, booking date, displayed charges, bond information, mugshot and current or released status available through the Sheriff.
The Sheriff, Huntsville Police, Madison Police or another arresting agency generally maintains its own incident report, arrest narrative and releasable investigative records.
The Madison County Circuit Clerk maintains District and Circuit Court criminal records, including filings, hearings, warrants, orders, judgments and dispositions.
How to search the Madison County inmate roster correctly
What each arrest-roster field means
| Field | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking number | A specific detention-facility intake record. | It does not establish guilt or final case outcome. | Use it for mail, jail calls and record confirmation. |
| Booking date | When the person entered the county booking process. | It may not be the exact offence or arrest time. | Use it to distinguish current and older bookings. |
| Arresting agency | The Sheriff, police department or other agency responsible for the arrest. | That agency does not control the later court record. | Request the incident report from this agency. |
| Charge | The allegation entered in connection with booking. | The prosecutor filed that exact charge or that the person was convicted. | Check the District or Circuit Court case. |
| Bond | A bond entry associated with the displayed charge or case. | Paying that amount will resolve every charge or hold. | Confirm all cases before arranging payment. |
| Mugshot | A photograph connected with booking processing. | A photograph is not evidence of guilt or conviction. | Use it only with stronger identifiers. |
| Current status | Whether the roster presently treats the booking as active. | A listed status may change during release or transfer processing. | Call before travelling or paying for services. |
| Release information | That the county custody event ended or is shown as released. | Release does not mean the criminal charge was dismissed. | Search the court case for disposition. |
Verify the person before relying on an arrest result
No Madison County arrest record found? Follow this order
What happens during Madison County booking?
Five Madison County bond paths explained
A court may permit release based on the person’s promise to appear, subject to the judge’s order and conditions.
A qualifying person may be considered through the county’s pre-trial process. Eligibility is not automatic.
A licensed bonding company may post the required bond under its contract and Alabama law.
Qualifying real property may be pledged through the required court and property-verification process.
The full amount may be posted when the court permits a cash bond and all payment requirements are satisfied.
Some charges require judicial action, while another warrant, probation matter or agency hold may block release.
Municipal cases
Contact the City Magistrate in the jail’s front lobby or call 256-427-7817 for bond information. A person who does not bond may attend city court the next business day.
Contact Madison Municipal Court at 256-772-5617, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Madison City court may be held Tuesday at the jail or Thursday at the municipal building, depending on the charge.
How to obtain a Madison County Sheriff incident report
Madison County’s published FAQ states that the person who filed the incident report—the victim—is the person permitted to obtain the report copy through the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division.
Huntsville, AL 35801
Monday: noon–4 p.m.
Tuesday–Friday: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Prepare these details
How to find the case connected with the arrest
100 North Side Square, Room 217
Huntsville, AL 35801
Criminal Division: 256-532-3386
Courthouse: 256-532-3300
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
| Term | Practical meaning | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | The case has not reached a final disposition. | Check the next setting and newest order. |
| Dismissed | The court dismissed the specified charge or case. | Confirm whether every count was dismissed. |
| Nolle prosequi | The prosecution elected not to proceed with the specified charge at that time. | Read the filed order or docket entry. |
| Guilty plea | The defendant entered a plea accepted by the court. | Review the exact count, judgment and sentence. |
| Not guilty | The defendant was acquitted of the resolved count. | Determine whether another charge remained. |
| Closed | The case is no longer shown as active. | Find the document explaining how it ended. |
Requesting copies from the Circuit Clerk
- Complete one records-request form for each party whose record is requested.
- For District Court criminal or traffic records, direct the request to the District Court Division.
- Mail requests with a cashier’s check or money order payable to Debra Kizer, Circuit Clerk.
- Personal checks are not accepted for mailed requests.
- Cash is accepted when the request is submitted in person.
- The Clerk’s published certified-copy charge is $5 plus $0.50 per paper page.
Records Search – District Court Division
100 North Side Square
Huntsville, AL 35801
Madison County inmate visit rules and schedule
Incarcerated 30 days before visits.
NCIC remote visitation.
Schedule up to 48 hours ahead.
Up to three visits per day.
Visits are recorded and monitored.
| Day | Available windows | Important exception |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 8–10 a.m.; noon–3:30 p.m.; 5–6 p.m.; 8–10 p.m. | The 8–10 p.m. window is not available on Wednesday. |
| Saturday–Sunday | 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; 8–10 p.m. | Appointments remain subject to housing and facility operations. |
How to add money without using the wrong account
| Method | Published fee or limit | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Lobby kiosk – cash | $3 deposit fee | Correct inmate name and booking information. |
| Lobby kiosk – card | 10% of deposit, $3.25 minimum | Payment card, receipt method and exact inmate identity. |
| Web deposit | 10% of deposit, $3.25 minimum | Inmate Canteen account and correct inmate profile. |
| Phone deposit | Provider-disclosed fee | Call 706-298-4974 and verify the inmate before payment. |
| Care package | $4.95 shipping plus 11% processing | Confirm current care-package eligibility and item availability. |
| Credit-card limit | $150 per transaction; $500 per 30 days including fees | Track all deposits during the rolling period. |
Madison County inmate mailing address and prohibited items
Madison County Jail
P.O. Box 2047
Huntsville, AL 35804
Reading-material limits
Softback and new when sent by an approved publisher or bookstore.
Must be received through an authorised publisher source.
Excess materials cannot remain in the cell.
Included in the facility’s possession limit.
Commonly rejected mail
- Cash, cheques, money orders, phone cards or other financial instruments.
- Driver’s licences, Social Security cards, birth certificates or other identification documents.
- Hardcover books, used books from personal senders or personal packages.
- Photographs showing nudity, inmates in jail or prison, large amounts of money or apparent illegal activity.
- Perfumed, stained, painted, glued, taped or glitter-covered correspondence.
- Crayon, marker, lipstick, stickers, correction tape or similar decorative material.
- Maps, laminated items and bubble-wrapped envelopes.
- Weapon, bomb, ammunition, chemical-agent or escape-related instructional material.
- Threatening, extortionate, inflammatory or facility-security material.
Inmate telephone rates and release alerts
| Call type | Inmate prepaid | Prepaid collect |
|---|---|---|
| Local | $0.16 per minute | $0.16 per minute |
| In-state | $0.16 per minute | $0.16 per minute |
| Out-of-state | $0.16 per minute | $0.16 per minute |
| Mexico | $0.25 per minute | $0.25 per minute |
| Other international | $0.35 per minute | $0.35 per minute |
VINE custody notifications
Madison County directs users to Victim Information and Notification Everyday for custody-status alerts. VINE operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Picking up inmate property and dropping off medication
Family members may pick up authorised property seven days a week, 24 hours a day, at 815 Wheeler Avenue. The person collecting it must present valid photo identification.
Medication, eyeglasses, contact lenses and other approved medical items may be dropped off or picked up Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m., subject to medical and Jail Administration approval.
Property deadlines
| Situation | Published deadline | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Property stored during incarceration | 30 days | Uncollected property may be disposed of and donated to a local charity. |
| Property left after departure | 14 days | Items left beyond the deadline may be donated. |
Items the jail generally accepts at booking
The facility states that it accepts pocket contents and seasonal clothing. It does not accept extra clothes, baggage, suitcases, sea bags, tents or large storage bags. A female inmate may have a standard-size purse.
When the Madison County roster is not enough
A county jail search does not provide a complete Alabama criminal history. ALEA’s Criminal Records Identification Unit maintains fingerprint-based offender information in the state criminal-history repository.
A person reviewing their own Alabama criminal-history record or following another legally authorised ALEA process.
A completed CHRI review application, fingerprints and a copy of current photo identification.
$25 by money order or cashier’s cheque, plus $5 for each additional copy.
P.O. Box 1511
Montgomery, AL 36102-1511
Montgomery, AL 36104
Adams Avenue side
How Alabama expungement begins for a Madison County case
Call the office that controls the information
| Office | Contact | Best reason to call |
|---|---|---|
| Jail Booking Information | 256-519-4800, 24 hours | Current booking, custody, release or transfer clarification. |
| Sheriff Administrative Office | 256-532-3412 | General Sheriff’s Office administration and routing. |
| Sheriff non-emergency | 256-722-7181, 24 hours | Non-emergency law-enforcement assistance. |
| Warrants / Extraditions | 256-533-5642, fax | Published warrant and extradition fax contact. |
| Madison County Criminal Division | 256-532-3386 | District or Circuit criminal court-record questions. |
| Madison County Courthouse | 256-532-3300 | Courtroom, office and courthouse routing. |
| Huntsville City Magistrate | 256-427-7817 | Huntsville municipal charges and bond information. |
| Madison Municipal Court | 256-772-5617 | City of Madison charges, court and bond questions. |
Huntsville, AL 35801
Huntsville, AL 35801
What was extracted into this guide
Roster search, 24-hour contacts, bond paths, visitation schedule, mail rules, phone rates, deposit fees, property deadlines, medication hours and VINE procedures.
Criminal office contact, courthouse hours, court-record request method, payment rules, certified-copy fees and legal-help contacts.
ALEA criminal-history requirements, fingerprint and identification rules, published fees and expungement starting steps.
Madison County arrest, jail and court questions answered
How do I search Madison County arrest records?
Search the official Sheriff’s Inmate Roster by first or last name. Review current and released results and verify the booking number, booking date, age, arresting agency and charges.
What is the Madison County Jail booking phone number?
Call 256-519-4800. The Sheriff lists the booking-information line as available 24 hours a day.
Why can I not find a recently arrested person?
The booking may still be processed, the name may be entered differently, the person may already be released or transferred, or the record may be legally restricted.
What bond types are available?
Madison County identifies recognisance release, Pre-Trial Release, private bonding-company bonds, property bonds and cash bonds. Availability depends on the charge and court order.
When can remote visits begin?
The Sheriff currently states that the inmate must be incarcerated for 30 days before visitation is allowed. Appointments are made through NCIC up to 48 hours in advance.
What is the inmate mailing address?
Address mail to the inmate’s full name and booking number, Madison County Jail, P.O. Box 2047, Huntsville, AL 35804. Include a valid return address.
How much does an inmate account deposit cost?
The published cash-kiosk fee is $3. Card and web deposits cost 10% of the deposit with a $3.25 minimum. Limits apply to credit-card transactions.
How do I find the final court outcome?
Search Alabama trial court records or request the criminal case from the Madison County Circuit Clerk. Review the formal charge, amendments, judgment and final disposition.
How much does an ALEA criminal-history review cost?
ALEA currently lists a $25 fee by money order or cashier’s cheque and $5 for each additional copy. Fingerprints and current photo identification are required.
Can a Madison County arrest be expunged?
Some records may qualify under Alabama Code Section 15-27. Obtain the certified ALEA criminal history and certified court records, review eligibility and file the current petition in the proper court.