PDF requirements for e-filing in the Alabama state courts (AlaFile)

What the court requires

The limit is 10 MB per document. AlaFile is the e-filing system of Alabama's Unified Judicial System for circuit and district courts. Its 10 MB limit is low, so scanned exhibits often need splitting or re-scanning in black and white.

“The maximum size limit that can be filed is 10MB.”

Common reasons filings are rejected

• A scanned exhibit is over 10 MB.
• Color scans make a short document too large.
• The PDF is password-protected or has security restrictions.
• The PDF is password-protected or has security restrictions, so the court's system can't open it.

Questions about the Alabama AlaFile's PDF rules

What is the maximum PDF file size for the Alabama AlaFile?

10 MB per PDF.

What should I do if my PDF is too large for the Alabama AlaFile?

Split it into consecutive parts that are each under 10 MB, never cutting a page in half, and file the first part as the main document and the rest as attachments named in order (for example "Exhibit A, Part 2 of 3"). For scanned documents, re-scanning in black and white at 300 dpi often shrinks the file enough to avoid splitting. Docket Prime can split the file for you in your browser.

Does the Alabama AlaFile require text-searchable PDFs?

The published rules we found don't require it. Documents saved directly from a word processor are searchable and much smaller than scans; for paper documents, OCR adds searchable text.

What page size does the Alabama AlaFile accept?

Letter size (8.5 × 11 inches) is expected. Legal-size or A4 pages may print badly or be refused, so resize them to letter.