When are the tours given?

On weekdays (Monday through Friday) from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. CST.

Who gives the tours?

A knowledgeable volunteer selected from a group of spouses of judicial officials, retired state employees, attorneys, building staff members, and other community members with an interest in judicial history will guide your tour.

What can I expect to learn on a tour?

You will learn the difference between the trial courts and the appellate courts, and how a case is handled as it moves through the judicial system, ending with the Alabama Supreme Court. You will also learn about the Alabama appellate courts' rich history.

What can I see?

• Rotunda Area



Starting with the limestone exterior, the construction, design, and materials used in the Greek Revival building will be explained to you.

• State Law Library



The oldest law library in Alabama houses a state-of-the-art computerized catalog system, plus thousands of law books and research materials. Additionally, the rare book room contains one of the finest collections of rare books, including many one-of-a-kind books from times before Alabama was admitted to the United States.

• Lobby Museum Area



Many rare books and other items of interest are displayed in cases complemented by panels detailing Alabama from its beginning as a part of the Mississippi Territory, a history of the Goldthwaite family, and women and African-Americans in the Alabama appellate courts.

• Upper Rotunda, Supreme Court & Lower Rotunda



The upper rotunda is a circular balcony above the lobby, providing a panoramic view of the rotunda. This floor houses the courtrooms of the Courts of Criminal Appeals and Civil Appeals, and their respective judges and staff members.

In the lobby outside the Supreme Court courtroom are displayed portraits of the current sitting Court. Portraits of former Alabama chief justices and associate justices surround the courtroom's exterior.

You will visit our Supreme Court courtroom, one of the most beautiful courtrooms in the nation, situated directly under the great dome. The style of this courtroom was influenced by the library at the University of Virginia, designed by Thomas Jefferson.

On the ground floor is the majority of the Administrative Office of Courts, the state agency which oversees all of Alabama's court operations. A history of the planning for this building, including pictures and drawings of the former judicial facility, site preparation, legislation and correspondence, groundbreaking, the construction is displayed here. Historic furniture and portraits from the nineteenth-century Supreme Court are displayed in this space.

Will I be able to attend a court session?

Individuals and groups are invited to attend court sessions. Arrangements must be made in advance and are subject to the approval of the clerks of the courts.

• Please call as far in advance as possible.


• Phone the Alabama Supreme Court and State Law Library at 334.242.4958 or 1.800.236.4069 and ask for Mary Edge Horton.


• Be prepared to provide the following information:


1. Date and time of tour
2. Name of person responsible for tour
3. Daytime telephone number
4. Name and address of school or organization
5. Number of students/adults touring
6. Information about special needs (wheelchair, hearing- or sight-impaired, etc.)
• The tours last approximately 45 minutes but can usually be adjusted to suit your schedule, if you let us know in advance.


• Plan to be in the building rotunda at the scheduled time, or call if you are running late.