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Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure – 2026

The Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure govern criminal proceedings from complaint through post-conviction review, covering arrest warrants and summonses, preliminary hearings, the right to counsel, release and bail, indictment and information, arraignment and pleas, discovery, trial and jury selection, sentencing, and post-conviction relief under Rule 32.

Browse all 185 rules of the 2026 edition organized by section below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.

Sections

RULE 1. SCOPE; PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES, AND CONSTRUCTION; COMPUTATION AND ENLARGEMENT OF TIME; DEFINITIONS; EFFECTIVE DATE. RULE 2. COMMENCEMENT AND PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS RULE 3. ARREST WARRANT OR SUMMONS UPON COMMENCEMENT OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS; SEARCH WARRANT. RULE 4. ARREST AND INITIAL APPEARANCE RULE 5. PRELIMINARY HEARING RULE 6. RIGHT TO COUNSEL: APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL RULE 7. RELEASE. RULE 8. SPEEDY TRIAL RULE 9. PRESENCE OF DEFENDANT, WITNESSES, AND SPECTATORS; TELEVISING, PHOTOGRAPHING, OR RADIO BROADCASTING OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS RULE 10. CHANGE OF PLACE OF TRIAL RULE 11. INCOMPETENCY AND MENTAL EXAMINATIONS RULE 12. SELECTION OF VENIRE; THE GRAND JURY AND PETIT JURY PANELS RULE 13. CHARGES: INDICTMENT, INFORMATION, AND COMPLAINT RULE 14. ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEAS RULE 15. PREPARATION FOR TRIAL; PLEADINGS AND MOTIONS RULE 16. DISCOVERY RULE 17. SUBPOENAS RULE 18. TRIAL BY JURY; WAIVER; SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF PETIT JURORS RULE 19. TRIAL RULE 20. MOTION FOR JUDGMENT OF ACQUITTAL RULE 21. INSTRUCTIONS TO JURY; OBJECTION RULE 22. DELIBERATION OF JURY RULE 23. VERDICT RULE 24. POST-TRIAL MOTIONS RULE 25. PROCEDURE AFTER VERDICT OR FINDING OF NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF MENTAL DISEASE OR DEFECT RULE 26. JUDGMENT; PRESENTENCE REPORT; SENTENCE HEARING; SENTENCE RULE 27. PROBATION AND PROBATION REVOCATION RULE 30. APPEALS FROM MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT COURTS RULE 32. POST-CONVICTION REMEDIES RULE 33. CONTEMPT RULE 34. FORM, CONTENT, AND SERVICE OF MOTIONS AND REQUESTS
RULE 1. SCOPE; PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES, AND CONSTRUCTION; COMPUTATION AND ENLARGEMENT OF TIME; DEFINITIONS; EFFECTIVE DATE. Rules 1.1–1.5 RULE 2. COMMENCEMENT AND PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS Rules 2.1–2.4 RULE 3. ARREST WARRANT OR SUMMONS UPON COMMENCEMENT OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS; SEARCH WARRANT. Rules 3.1–3.14 RULE 4. ARREST AND INITIAL APPEARANCE Rules 4.1–4.4 RULE 5. PRELIMINARY HEARING Rules 5.1–5.4 RULE 6. RIGHT TO COUNSEL: APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL Rules 6.1–6.4 RULE 7. RELEASE. Rules 7.1–7.6 RULE 8. SPEEDY TRIAL Rules 8.1–8.3 RULE 9. PRESENCE OF DEFENDANT, WITNESSES, AND SPECTATORS; TELEVISING, PHOTOGRAPHING, OR RADIO BROADCASTING OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS Rules 9.1–9.4 RULE 10. CHANGE OF PLACE OF TRIAL Rules 10.1–10.3 RULE 11. INCOMPETENCY AND MENTAL EXAMINATIONS Rules 11.1–11.9 RULE 12. SELECTION OF VENIRE; THE GRAND JURY AND PETIT JURY PANELS Rules 12.1–12.9 RULE 13. CHARGES: INDICTMENT, INFORMATION, AND COMPLAINT Rules 13.1–13.5 RULE 14. ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEAS Rules 14.1–14.4 RULE 15. PREPARATION FOR TRIAL; PLEADINGS AND MOTIONS Rules 15.1–15.7 RULE 16. DISCOVERY Rules 16.1–16.6 RULE 17. SUBPOENAS Rules 17.1–17.6 RULE 18. TRIAL BY JURY; WAIVER; SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF PETIT JURORS Rules 18.1–18.5 RULE 19. TRIAL Rules 19.1–19.4 RULE 20. MOTION FOR JUDGMENT OF ACQUITTAL Rules 20.1–20.3 RULE 21. INSTRUCTIONS TO JURY; OBJECTION Rules 21.1–21.3 RULE 22. DELIBERATION OF JURY Rules 22.1–22.3 RULE 23. VERDICT Rules 23.1–23.5 RULE 24. POST-TRIAL MOTIONS Rules 24.1–24.5 RULE 25. PROCEDURE AFTER VERDICT OR FINDING OF NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF MENTAL DISEASE OR DEFECT Rules 25.1–25.9 RULE 26. JUDGMENT; PRESENTENCE REPORT; SENTENCE HEARING; SENTENCE Rules 26.1–26.12 RULE 27. PROBATION AND PROBATION REVOCATION Rules 27.1–29 RULE 30. APPEALS FROM MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT COURTS Rules 30.1–31 RULE 32. POST-CONVICTION REMEDIES Rules 32.1–32.10 RULE 33. CONTEMPT Rules 33.1–33.6 RULE 34. FORM, CONTENT, AND SERVICE OF MOTIONS AND REQUESTS Rules 34.1–Appendix of Forms