Alabama Divorce Forms: What Each Form Is and When to File It

Alabama provides every divorce form for free on the eforms.alacourt.gov portal. The problem is not access — it is understanding which forms you need, what order to file them in, and which ones your specific county requires. Filing a standard complaint in Shelby County without the CS-47 child support sheet gets your paperwork rejected, even if you have no children.

Here is what each form does and when it enters the sequence.

Forms You File at the Start

Form PS-08: Verified Complaint for Divorce

This is the document that initiates your divorce. It identifies both spouses, states the grounds for divorce (no-fault or fault-based), establishes venue, and outlines what you are asking the court to decide — property division, custody, support. Every divorce starts here.

ADPH Form HS-16: Certificate of Divorce (Vital Statistics)

The Alabama Department of Public Health requires this administrative report for every divorce. It records statistical data about the marriage and dissolution. The court clerk will only accept an original physical copy — photocopies and digital printouts are rejected. You can obtain the form from the clerk's office or the ADPH website.

Form CS-47: Child Support Information Sheet

A standardized cover sheet with contact and statistical information required in all domestic relations cases. Some counties (including Shelby) require this even when the couple has no minor children.

Forms for Service of Process

Form PS-21: Acceptance of Service, Answer, and Waiver

Used in uncontested cases when the defendant agrees to the divorce terms. The defendant signs this before a notary, waiving the right to formal service by sheriff or certified mail. This is the fastest way to move past the service step.

Form C-34: Summons Civil

If the defendant does not sign a waiver, the court issues a summons that must be formally served. You can serve it via sheriff delivery, certified mail with restricted delivery, or a private process server over the age of 19.

Financial and Child Support Forms

Form CS-41: Income Statement/Affidavit

Both parents complete this form declaring their monthly gross income under penalty of perjury. It feeds into the child support calculation. Required whenever minor children are involved.

Form CS-42: Child Support Guidelines

The standard child support worksheet for cases where one parent has primary physical custody. Uses the income shares model under Rule 32 of the Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration to calculate the paying parent's monthly obligation.

Form CS-42-S: Shared 50% Physical Custody Adjustment

Used when both parents share physical custody approximately 50% of the time. Applies a 150% multiplier to the basic support obligation to reflect the costs of maintaining two households.

Forms You File to Finalize

Form PS-09: Plaintiff's Testimony

Notarized written testimony that substitutes for a court appearance in uncontested cases. The plaintiff answers questions about residency, grounds, and the terms of the settlement agreement. Filing this — along with the settlement agreement and proposed decree — is how most uncontested divorces are finalized without a hearing.

Form C-10: Affidavit of Substantial Hardship

If you cannot afford the filing fee, this form requests a fee waiver. You must attach proof of income, assets, and debts. A judge reviews the request and decides whether to waive the fee or tax it as costs at the end of the case.

The Filing Sequence Matters

Forms filed in the wrong order or missing required attachments cause delays. The Alabama Divorce Filing Process Guide maps the exact sequence — what to file together, what to hold until later, and which county-specific requirements apply. Get the complete guide.

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