Property: equitable, not equal
Alabama is an equitable distribution state, not a community property state. Marital property is divided fairly under the circumstances, which may be fifty-fifty and frequently isn't. Judges weigh the length of the marriage, each spouse's contributions including homemaking, earning capacities, health, and fault in the breakup where it exists. Adultery and abuse can move the property lines here in a way they can't in pure no-fault states.
Just as important is what gets divided at all. Separate property, generally what you brought into the marriage or received by gift or inheritance and kept separate, typically stays yours. The fights are usually about the gray areas: the inheritance deposited into the joint account, the house one spouse owned that both spouses paid on, the retirement account that grew during the marriage.
Custody: best interests, not a default split
The other thing people mean by "50/50 state" is equal parenting time. Alabama policy favors children having frequent and continuing contact with both parents, and joint custody is common, but there is no automatic right to an equal schedule. Courts decide custody on the best interests of the child, weighing each parent's caregiving history, stability, work schedule, and willingness to foster the child's relationship with the other parent. Equal time is a result some families reach because it fits the child's life, not a starting presumption anyone is entitled to.
Why this matters for strategy
Because "fair" is argued, not calculated, preparation moves outcomes in Alabama more than in formula states. Documenting contributions, tracing separate property, and presenting the custody facts well are the work. It also means agreed settlements are powerful: you and your spouse can agree to a true fifty-fifty split, or any other arrangement, and the court will usually honor it. That's a big part of why uncontested divorce is worth pursuing when agreement is possible.
Get a read on your situation
How a Mobile County court is likely to view your property and your custody facts is a specific question with a specific answer. Bring the real numbers and get an honest assessment before you make decisions based on what a formula state's internet advice says.