Ala. Code § 12-22-190
The Legislature is aware that it has become settled law that a state may or may not authorize appeals from judgments of convictions in criminal cases and certain other related proceedings involving the life, liberty or property of a person convicted of a criminal offense; further, that if a state does provide for appeals in criminal cases and such other cases, defendants or petitioners adjudged guilty of crimes and who are without funds and unable to pay the fees of the court reporter for transcribing the evidence or the fees of the clerk for preparing the record for review on appeal may be denied equal protection of the law or due process of law. It is the purpose of this division to provide such defendants or petitioners with a transcript of the evidence, or a part thereof, and a record for a proper and equal review in certain criminal cases and such other cases wherein it is made to appear that a convicted defendant is indigent and desires to take an appeal and obtain a judicial review of matters that occurred at his trial or hearing.
Ala. Code § 12-22-190 (1975)