Ala. Code §§ 6-5-155 to 6-5-156.5 § 6-5-156.4
Violation of Court Order; Additional Orders Necessary to Abatement; Suspension or Cancellation of Order.
Operative Text
(a) A violation of any court order issued pursuant to this division is punishable as a contempt of court by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000), or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Evidence concerning the duration and repetitive nature of the violations shall be considered by the court in determining the penalty for contempt. (b) Upon finding that a defendant has willfully violated an order issued pursuant to this division, the court may issue any additional orders necessary to abate the drug-related nuisance or to carry out the punishment for contempt. (c) The court may suspend the effectiveness of an order of abatement for no more than 90 days if the owner of the property establishes that he or she had no knowledge of the drug-related nuisance, and could not reasonably be expected to have knowledge, and the owner avers under oath that he or she will immediately undertake specified measures to abate the nuisance for the following two-year period. An abatement order issued pursuant to this subsection may not be issued for the benefit of a defendant who has been found in contempt of court as part of the same action. An order issued pursuant to this subsection is a suspension and is not a withdrawal of the original order. (d) The courts shall cancel the order of abatement if the owner of the property satisfies the court that the drug-related nuisance has been abated for the past 90 days, corrects all housing code and health code violations, and posts a bond in an amount to be determined by the court, which shall be immediately forfeitable if the drug-related nuisance recurs during the following two-year period.
Under Ala. Code § 6-5-156.4, when a court has issued an order related to a drug-related nuisance abatement and that order is violated, the court may treat the violation as contempt, imposing fines ranging from $500 to $75,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both. Courts are directed to weigh how long violations lasted and whether they were repeated when setting penalties. The provision also outlines paths for suspending or canceling an abatement order if the property owner can demonstrate lack of knowledge of the nuisance and takes concrete steps to address it, or if the nuisance has been fully abated for at least 90 days.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners subject to a court order under Ala. Code § 6-5-156.4 face serious consequences—including fines up to $75,000 and potential imprisonment—if that order is violated. Compliant operators generally document their awareness and response to any drug-related activity on their property, act promptly when nuisance conditions arise, and maintain records showing ongoing abatement efforts. Owners who had no knowledge of the nuisance and wish to seek a suspension of an abatement order must be prepared to swear under oath to specific remediation measures and to sustain those measures over a two-year period; cancellation of the order requires demonstrating 90 days of abatement, correcting all housing and health code violations, and posting a court-determined bond.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ala. Code § 6-5-156.4 establishes that court orders addressing drug-related nuisances carry real enforcement teeth: violations by a property owner or other defendant can result in contempt findings, substantial fines, and even incarceration. Tenants living in properties subject to such orders may have an interest in understanding that an abatement order can be suspended or canceled only under specific conditions, and that any recurrence of the nuisance during a two-year monitoring period can trigger bond forfeiture. Tenants who believe a court order is being ignored or that nuisance conditions persist may consider contacting the court that issued the order, local housing authorities, or a tenant-rights organization for information about available remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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