Rules on Court Records
Court records are maintained in accordance with Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona, Rule 29: Court Records, subsections (A) and (D). Most records are destroyed once their statutory retention period expires, which can be from one year to 11 years, depending on the case type. See the retention schedule.
Court records are provided according to Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123. Fees are set in ARS §22-281 and §12-304. Most existent records are public and will be provided, with redactions as required in Rule and Statute.
Forms for Requesting Records?
How to Request Records
Parties to a case, public members, commercial entities (debt collectors, PIs, etc)
Litigants in a case and/or their attorneys, members of the public, and commercial businesses wishing to receive specific case files, information, or recorded proceedings should send the filled-out request form to the one justice court which has jurisdiction over the case.
Our court clerks do not perform background checks and requests for litigant records lacking a case number may be declined.
Requests for certified documents must be sent to the specific court that holds the case. The Public Information Office cannot certify case documents, as the certification process involves a judge's stamp.
Get court contact information on our Locations page.
Media, academics, government entities, or non-profit organizations seeking data and procedural information should send the request form to the Justice Courts' Public Information Office. The PIO may decline requests for case files from public members, litigants, or other investigators by instructing them to contact the court with jurisdiction over the case.
Bulk justice court data is available, containing details of new filings and terminations of all case types, as well as current detailed information on all pending justice court cases in which activity occurred during the previous month. Data is available for each month back to 2005.
Costs for Records
Certification: $33 per document (requests for certification MUST be sent to the specific court)
Audio/video recordings: $33 per hearing
Clerk fee/Search fee (commercial requesters): $33 for up to 10 files per day
Bulk data download (after certain conditions have been met): $33 per month
Payment may be made by check or over the phone with a credit card
Some requesters may qualify for a fee deferral or waiver. Some defendants may be entitled to copies for free. Contact the court if you think these apply to you.
Watching or Recording
Courthouses are public places with an expectation of privacy. The public is welcome to attend any ongoing court proceeding unless deemed confidential, such as some protective orders or juvenile proceedings.
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, courts now hold many types of hearings virtually (phone/video) rather than in person. Participants in a case will receive instructions on the appropriate method of attendance.
Want to record or photograph a court case?
Video, audio, and still image recordings are prohibited in courtrooms and courthouses without prior approval from the judge. This is outlined in Arizona Supreme Court Rule 122 and Rule 122.1. Anyone who wants to capture photos, audio, or video inside the courthouse or courtroom must send a request to the Justice Courts' Public Information Office.
We do record most hearings anyway. Copies are available for a fee after legally-required redaction to remove confidential information is complete. See above for the cost and request procedure.