United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama is a federal court in the United States [Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit|Eleventh Circuit].
The District was established on March 10, 1824, with the division of the state into a Northern and Southern District of Alabama|Southern] district. The circuit court itself was established on June 22, 1874.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The United States attorney is Prim F. Escalona, who was appointed by United States Attorney General William Barr following the resignation of
Jay Town on July 15, 2020.
Organization of the court
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama is one of three federal judicial districts in Alabama. Court for the District is held at Anniston, Birmingham, Florence, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa.Northwestern Division comprises the following counties: Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, and Lawrence.
Northeastern Division comprises the following counties: Cullman, Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan.
Southern Division comprises the following counties: Blount, Jefferson, and Shelby.
Eastern Division comprises the following counties: Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, DeKalb, Etowah, St. Clair, and Talladega.
Western Division comprises the following counties: Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston.
Current judges
Vacancies and pending nominations
| Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
| 11 | Birmingham | R. David Proctor | Senior status | January 1, 2026 |
Court decisions
Lucy v. Adams – A court ruling which affirmed the right of all citizens to be accepted at the University of Alabama. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ruling.Armstrong v. Birmingham Board of Education – The court dismissed the plaintiff's complaint. On appeal, the Fifth Circuit reversed and ordered the desegregation of Birmingham public schools.
United States v. Wallace – The court exercised its ruling in Lucy v. Adams and ordered that colored students be permitted to enroll at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The court order led to the infamous Stand in the Schoolhouse Door incident with Governor George C. Wallace.
Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education – A reversal of the decision rendered by the district and Eleventh Circuit. The U.S. Supreme Court held that retaliation against a person on the basis of a sexual complaint is a form of sexual discrimination under Title IX.
Ledbetter v. [Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.] – The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the decision of the district court, stating that employers cannot be sued under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act over race or gender discrimination if the claims are based on decisions over 180 days. The decision of the court led Congress to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009.
United States v. Alabama – The court upheld most parts of Alabama HB 56, an anti-illegal immigration bill signed by Governor Robert J. Bentley. The Eleventh Circuit reversed, invalidating much of Alabama HB 56.