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Alabama County
Marshall County, Alabama
Lake Guntersville's bass fishing and the poultry industry capital - from Lake Guntersville (the 69,100-acre TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River - one of the finest largemouth bass fisheries in the United States, hosting major professional bass tournaments and drawing anglers from across the country to the clear Appalachian foothills water) to Marshall County's extraordinary poultry industry concentration (Marshall County is one of the most productive broiler chicken producing counties in the United States - the concentration of Tyson, Wayne Farms, and other poultry operations and their contract growers makes it the economic backbone of northeast Alabama's agricultural economy).
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Office: Marshall County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 424 Blount Ave, Guntersville, AL 35976
Phone: (256) 571-7741
Alert System: AL Alert statewide; CodeRed; Marshall County Emergency Alert
Shelter Info: Multiple designated shelters; Lake Guntersville flood planning important; contact EMA
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Northeast Alabama county centered on Lake Guntersville (Tennessee River reservoir); tornado corridor; lake flooding risk; one of Alabama’s most tourism-active counties; Guntersville is county seat on the lake
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Marshall County Highway Department – (256) 571-7730
Public Transit: Limited demand-response; Albertville, Boaz area some local service
Road Conditions: ALDOT – algotraffic.com
Notes: US-431 and AL-168 are main corridors; lake bridges critical infrastructure; Albertville (manufacturing hub – poultry, automotive parts) generates industrial traffic; Boaz is outlet shopping destination driving tourism traffic
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Marshall County Building Department – (256) 571-7753
Address: 424 Blount Ave, Guntersville, AL 35976
Services: Building permits for unincorporated areas; extensive lakefront development permits
Notes: Guntersville, Albertville, Boaz, Arab, Grant, Scottsboro (nearby) each have separate permits; lakefront development on Guntersville Lake is major permit activity; one of Alabama’s more active permit environments outside major metros
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Marshall County Veterans Service Office – (256) 571-7741
Address: 424 Blount Ave, Guntersville, AL 35976
VA Medical: Birmingham VA – (205) 933-8101; Huntsville VA Clinic – (256) 535-3100
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment, pension/compensation
Notes: Huntsville VA clinic provides closer access; active veteran community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Marshall County Cooperative Library System
Services: Books, e-books (Alabama Digital Library), public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs
Notes: Well-developed multi-branch system reflecting county’s active community life; lake community drives library programming
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lake Guntersville State Park – alapark.com | (256) 571-5444 (flagship Alabama state park – lodge, golf, marina, cabins, beach, eagle watching); Town Creek Fishing Center; Cathedral Caverns State Park (nearby – Jackson County); Guntersville Dam; Boaz Outlet Center tourism
Notes: Lake Guntersville State Park is one of Alabama’s top resort state parks; Guntersville Lake is premier bass fishing – hosts major Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments; bald eagle watching in winter is a signature attraction; Boaz Premium Outlets drive significant retail tourism
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Marshall County GIS – marshallco.org/gis
Parcel Search: Available through county GIS portal
Notes: Active county with lakefront development; functional GIS system; lake property boundary mapping important
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Marshall County Humane Society / Animal Control
Notes: Active humane society; lake communities generate seasonal animal service patterns
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Marshall County Solid Waste – (256) 571-7730
Recycling: Some options in Albertville, Guntersville area
Environmental: Tennessee River/Guntersville Lake (TVA managed); poultry industry waste management; ADEM – adem.alabama.gov
Notes: Lake Guntersville water quality is critical for the major recreation economy; TVA manages the reservoir; poultry farming and processing (Albertville area is a poultry industry hub) creates nutrient management and air quality monitoring needs; Guntersville Lake hosts national fishing tournaments requiring clean water standards
About Marshall County
Marshall County is north Alabama’s bass fishing and poultry capital – Lake Guntersville’s world-class bass fishery and the county’s concentration of broiler chicken production define two very different but equally significant economic engines.
Guntersville (the county seat, population ~8,500) on Lake Guntersville is one of Alabama’s premier recreation destinations – the Bass Fishing Capital of the World designation reflects the lake’s extraordinary largemouth bass population. Albertville (population ~22,000) is the county’s commercial hub.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Marshall County Revenue Commissioner at 424 Blount Avenue, Suite 107, Guntersville, AL 35976, phone 256-571-7743. AL residential assessed at 10% of market value.
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid: Via dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/
Recommended
Search Marshall County public records for Guntersville, Albertville, Arab, and Marshall County residents.
Courts & Legal
Marshall County Probate Court at 424 Blount Avenue, Suite 105, Guntersville, AL 35976, phone 256-571-7757, handles probate.
Senior Services
Senior Services: —
Transportation: —
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976
(256) 571-7700
CIRCUIT CLERK (Court Records)
424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976
(256) 571-7700
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Marshall County Probate Court (marriage licenses, will and estate files, land deeds – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Guntersville Historical Society, Guntersville, AL – also operates the Guntersville Museum
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Marshall County Probate Office 425 Gunter Avenue, Suite 110, Guntersville, AL 35976 (256) 571-7764 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (call ahead to confirm, especially around lunch)
Step 1: figure out which path applies
This is the fork in the road that determines everything else – how long it takes, what it costs, and whether you need an attorney.
Small/Summary Distribution – for estates made up of personal property only (no real estate) worth up to roughly $47,000 (the threshold is CPI-adjusted annually; it rose from about $36,000 to ~$47,000 under the Revised Alabama Small Estates Act, effective October 1, 2025). No personal representative is appointed, and there’s no months-long court oversight – just a single verified petition.
Formal Probate – required if the estate includes real property, exceeds the small-estate threshold, or there’s a dispute among heirs. This appoints a personal representative (an executor if there’s a will, an administrator if there isn’t) with legal authority to act for the estate.
If the estate qualifies for summary distribution
Wait at least 30 days after the death before filing – filings submitted earlier will be rejected.
The surviving spouse (if there is one) is the only person who can file; if there’s no surviving spouse, any rightful heir can.
File a verified petition with the Marshall County Probate Court listing the decedent’s assets, debts, and heirs, plus the will if one exists.
Notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county; no distribution can happen until 30 days after publication.
The petitioner must separately notify the Alabama Medicaid Agency by certified mail (Medicaid has 30 days to respond with any claim against the estate – this step is required in every case, not just where Medicaid was involved).
Once both 30-day windows close and the judge approves, the court issues an order you can present to banks or other institutions to claim and distribute the property.
Simple, uncontested cases can wrap up in weeks to a few months. Anything with disputed debts or unclear heirs takes longer.
If formal probate is required
Gather what you’ll need before your first visit: the original will (if any), several certified copies of the death certificate, a list of assets and debts, and names/addresses of all heirs and beneficiaries.
File a Petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Petition for Letters of Administration (without one). Filing fee is a flat $45, plus $3/page for wills over 5 pages, and covers three certified copies of the letters.
Creditor notice must be published once a week for three successive weeks in a Marshall County newspaper of general circulation.
If uncontested with waivers filed, a hearing may not be required; otherwise the judge holds one and, if approved, issues the Letters.
The personal representative then has 2 months to file a full inventory of estate assets, and creditors have 6 months from the grant of letters (or 5 months from first publication, whichever is later) to submit claims.
After debts and taxes are settled, the representative files a final accounting; once approved, assets are distributed and the estate is formally closed.
Alabama requires an estate to stay open a minimum of 6 months, whether or not there’s a will.
A will must be filed for probate within 5 years of the date of death, or it loses effect.
What it costs
Court filing: $45 flat (plus the per-page will fee noted above).
Personal representative compensation: capped by law at 2.5% of the estate’s value received plus 2.5% of disbursements (extra allowed for genuinely extraordinary work).
Attorney fees: not fixed by statute – negotiated between the family and the attorney. Alabama doesn’t require an attorney for probate, but most formal (non-small-estate) cases benefit from one, especially if there’s a dispute or the estate includes real property.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
PROBATE JUDGE (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Estates)
424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976
(256) 571-7700
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1000 Martling Rd., Guntersville, AL 35976
(256) 582-2034
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
BOARD OF REGISTRARS (Voter Registration)
424 Blount Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976
(256) 571-7731
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
2006 AL-431 S., Albertville, AL 35950
(256) 753-2750
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM
Health Dept
Marshall County Health Dept
DHR / SNAP / Medicaid
dhr.alabama.gov 211
WIC
Up to 185% FPL — call Health Dept
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Marshall County Health Department – (256) 582-3174
Address: 502 Blount Ave, Guntersville, AL 35976
Website: alabamapublichealth.gov/marshall
Satellite: Albertville, Arab offices
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records, restaurant inspections
Notes: Growing county with diverse economy; Marshall Medical Centers (North and South campuses) provide hospital services; robust health infrastructure for county size
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Guntersville
Population: 97,612
Area: 566 sq mi
Established: 1836
Tier: 3
Public Records
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