§ 36-22-3 — Performance of Duties

(a) It shall be the duty of the sheriff to do all of the following:
(1) Execute and return the process and orders of the courts of record of this state and of officers of competent authority with due diligence when delivered to him or her for that purpose, according to law.
(2) Attend upon the circuit courts and district courts held in his or her county when in session and the courts of probate, when required by the judge of probate, and obey the lawful orders and directions of such courts.
(3) Three days before each session of the circuit court in his or her county, render to the county treasury or custodian of county funds a statement in writing and on oath of the monies received by him or her for the county, specifying the amount received in each case and from whom the amount is received, and pay the amount to the county treasurer or custodian of county funds.
(4) With the assistance of deputies as necessary, ferret out crime, apprehend and arrest criminals and, insofar as within their power, secure evidence of crimes in their counties and present a report of the evidence so secured to the district attorney or assistant district attorney for the county.
(5) Perform such other duties as are or may be imposed by law.
(b) Any of the duties of the sheriff set out in subsection (a) or as otherwise provided by law may be carried out by deputies, reserve deputies, and individuals employed as authorized in Section 14-6-1 as determined appropriate by the sheriff in accordance with state law. Individuals undertaking such duties for and under the direction and supervision of the sheriff shall be entitled to the same immunities and legal protections granted to the sheriff under the general laws and the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, as long as such conduct is deemed conduct performed within a law enforcement officer’s discretionary authority as defined in Section 6-5-338.1.
(c) Notwithstanding Sections 14-6-1, 32-7-23, and this section, nothing in Section 14-6-1 and this section shall serve as a bar to an individual’s or entity’s recovery under the uninsured motorist coverage of the individual or entity, or prevent an insured from being legally entitled to recover damages under the uninsured motorist coverage of the insured.

Legislative History

(Code 1852, §690; Code 1867, §818; Code 1876, §730; Code 1886, §810; Code 1896, §3739; Code 1907, §5870; Acts 1909, No. 81, p. 107, §1; Code 1923, §10189; Code 1940, T. 54, §5; Act 2011-685, p. 2067, §§1, 2; Act 2025-423, §2.)