Requesting a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order is free.

The victim cannot be charged any court costs or fees for the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, withdrawal, or service of a protection order or a petition for a protection order.  (Ala Code 30-5-5)

Forms are available at any circuit court clerk’s office at every county courthouse. You can also find these forms online at
https://eforms.alacourt.gov/civil-forms/protection-from-abuse/

Check to make sure you are using the most up-to-date forms.
You can find the most up-to-date petition for a PFA here: https://eforms.alacourt.gov/media/dbmjxlmp/c-3-revised-9-27-2023.pdf   

Your petition “shall allege the incidents of abuse, the specific facts and circumstances that form the basis upon which relief is sought, and that the plaintiff genuinely fears subsequent acts of abuse by the defendant.” (Ala Code 30-5-5)

You can represent yourself in these proceedings, or you may have an attorney.  There are services across the state that can help with representation at no cost. (Ala Code 30-5-5)

You can contact Legal Services of Alabama. https://legalservicesalabama.org/

You can contact the Alabama Bar Association for further information. http://www.alabar.org

In some areas, there are local chapters of the Volunteer Lawyers Association or Legal Services.

If you do seek out local resources, such as an advocate or counselor, they will most likely be able to help find legal resources. The following information cannot be contained on any court document made available to the public and the defendant by the circuit clerk’s office:

    • The plaintiff’s home address

    • Business address

    • Home telephone number or work telephone number

    • Home or business addresses

    • Telephone number of any member of the plaintiff’s family or household

    • Address revealing the confidential location of a shelter for victims of domestic violence  (Ala Code 30-5-5)

Additionally, if you are granted a PFA, the document is valid across the state and in any state you travel or move to. 

  • Any protection order issued in this state pursuant to this chapter shall be effective throughout this state.

  • Any protection order issued by the court of another state shall be accorded full faith and credit and enforced as if it were an order of this state.

Click Your County on the Map Below to Find Local Resources

Scroll Down for State and National Resources

State Resources for Victims

If you are in an emergency call 9-1-1!

For Local Resources Call 2-1-1

Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE  or  Text “START” to 8888

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

YMCA Domestic Violence Hotline: (205) 322-HURT (4878)

Crisis Services Helpline (256) 716-1000 or 1-800-691-8426

AshaKiran: They help foreign-born individuals experiencing crises throughout the state of Alabama. 1-800-793-3010

Autauga Baldwin Barbour Bibb Blount Bullock Butler Calhoun Chambers Cherokee Chilton Choctaw Clarke Clay Cleburne Coffee Colbert Conecuh Coosa Covington Crenshaw Cullman Dale Dallas DeKalb Elmore Escambia Etowah Fayette Franklin Geneva Greene Hale Henry Houston Jackson Jefferson Lamar Lauderdale Lawrence Lee Limestone Lowndes Macon Madison Marengo Marion Marshall Mobile Monroe Montgomery Morgan Perry Pickens Pike Randolph Russell Shelby St Clair Sumter Talladega Tallapoosa Tuscaloosa Walker Washington Wilcox Winston

National Resources for Victims

NATIONAL CRISIS ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSISTANCE:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline 
1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)
www.ndvh.org

National Dating Abuse Helpline 
1-866-331-9474
www.loveisrespect.org

National Child Abuse Hotline/Childhelp 
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
www.childhelp.org

National Sexual Assault Hotline 
1-800-656-4673 (HOPE)
www.rainn.org

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 
1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

National Center for Victims of Crime 
1-202-467-8700
www.victimsofcrime.org

National Human Trafficking Resource Center/Polaris Project 
Call: 1-888-373-7888 | Text: HELP to BeFree (233733)
www.polarisproject.org

National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights 
1-510-465-1984
www.nnirr.org

National Coalition for the Homeless 
1-202-737-6444
www.nationalhomeless.org

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence 
1-800-537-2238
www.nrcdv.org and www.vawnet.org

Futures Without Violence: The National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence 
1-888-792-2873
www.futureswithoutviolence.org

National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health
1-312-726-7020 ext. 2011
www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org

National Runaway Safeline
1-800-RUNAWAY or 1-800-786-2929
www.1800runaway.org

DIFFERENTLY ABLED

Domestic Violence Initiative 
(303) 839-5510/ (877) 839-5510
www.dviforwomen.org

Deaf Abused Women’s Network (DAWN) 
Email: Hotline@deafdawn.org 
VP: 202-559-5366
www.deafdawn.org

WOMEN OF COLOR

Women of Color Network 
1-800-537-2238
www.wocninc.org

INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence 
incite.natl@gmail.com 
www.incite-national.org

LATINA/LATINO

Casa de Esperanza 
Linea de crisis 24-horas/24-hour crisis line 
1-651-772-1611
www.casadeesperanza.org

National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities
1-651-646-5553
www.nationallatinonetwork.org

IMMIGRANT

The National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project
(202) 274-4457
http://www.niwap.org/

INDIGENOUS WOMEN

National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center 
855-649-7299
www.niwrc.org

ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER

Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence 
1-415-954-9988
www.apiidv.org

Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV) 
1-212- 473-6485
www.caaav.org

Manavi 
1-732-435-1414
www.manavi.org

AFRICAN-AMERICAN

The Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute 
1-770-909-0715
www.bcdvi.org

CHILDREN

Childhelp USA/National Child Abuse Hotline 
1-800-422-4453
www.childhelpusa.org

Children’s Defense Fund 
202-628-8787
www.childrensdefense.org

Child Welfare League of America 
202-638-2952
www.cwla.org

National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges 
Child Protection and Custody/Resource Center on Domestic Violence
1-800-527-3233
www.ncjfcj.org

Center for Judicial Excellence 
info@centerforjudicialexcellence.org 
www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org

TEENS

Love is respect 
Hotline: 1-866-331-9474
www.loveisrespect.org

Break the Cycle 
202-824-0707
www.breakthecycle.org

College Campus Safety Guide

LESBIAN, BI-SEXUAL, GAY, TRANSGENDER, GENDER NON-CONFORMING

The Audre Lorde Project 
1-178-596-0342
www.alp.org

LAMBDA GLBT Community Services 
1-206-350-4283
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/orgs/avproject/main.htm

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 
1-202-393-5177
www.ngltf.org

Northwest Network of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse 
1-206-568-7777
www.nwnetwork.org

Trans Lifeline
877-565-8860
www.translifeline.org

ABUSE IN LATER LIFE

National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life 
1-608-255-0539
www.ncall.us

National Center for Elder Abuse 
1-855-500-3537
www.aginginplace.org

MEN

National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) 
1-720-466-3882
www.nomas.org

A Call to Men 
1-917-922-6738
www.acalltomen.org

Men Stopping Violence
1-866-717-9317
www.menstoppingviolence.org

LEGAL

Battered Women’s Justice Project 
1-800-903-0111
www.bwjp.org

Legal Momentum 
1-212-925-6635
www.legalmomentum.org

Womenslaw.org 
www.womenslaw.org

National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women 
1-800-903-0111 x 3
www.ncdbw.org

Legal Network for Gender Equity

nwlc.org/join-the-legal-network/

Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project
www.dvleap.org

Alabama Crime Victims' Rights


If you are a victim of crime you have certain rights in criminal cases.
You can discuss your rights with your prosecutor or the victim services officer in the district attorney's office.

Article 3. Crime Victims’ Rights.
15 AL ST Ch. 23, Art. 3, Refs & Annos
15–23–60. Definitions.
15–23–61. Designated representative.
15–23–62. Law enforcement agency required to provide victim with information concerning services, compensation benefits, etc.
15–23–63. Prosecuting attorney required to notify victim of charges and proceedings; request for notice.
15–23–64. Prosecuting attorney required to confer with victim prior to final disposition of offense.
15–23–65. Prosecuting attorney required to confer with victim before commencement of trial.
15–23–66. No right to direct prosecution.
15–23–67. Right to be present throughout proceedings.
15–23–68. Waiting area for victim; court to minimize contact of victim with defendant.
15–23–69. Testimony concerning information about victim; information about victim in court file.
15–23–70. Right to refuse defendant’s request for interview.
15–23–71. Plea agreement.
15–23–72. Right to pre-sentence information.
15–23–73. Impact statement; right to review pre-sentence investigative report.
15–23–74. Right to present evidence, statement, etc., during sentencing or restitution proceedings.
15–23–75. Right to information concerning defendant’s sentence, request for notice, post-conviction review, etc.
15–23–76. Right to be present and heard at court proceeding.
15–23–77. Right to have property returned.
15–23–78. Right to information from agency having physical custody of prisoner.
15–23–79. Submission of victim’s statement into prisoner’s records.
15–23–80. Facility with custody of defendant to send victim release opinion.
15–23–81. Victim to respond to subpoena or to participate in proceeding preparation without loss of employment or fear of loss.
15–23–82. Clerk of court to accept and disburse restitution.
15–23–83. Assertion of rights by Attorney General or district attorney.
15–23–84. Failure to provide right or notice not grounds for setting aside sentence.