Graham County, Arizona Court Records

Graham County, Arizona is served by a multi-tiered court system that generates records across criminal, civil, family, probate, and traffic matters. Under Rule 123 of the Rules of the Arizona Supreme Court, a court record encompasses any document, material, or information in electronic or paper form that is collected, received, or maintained by a court in connection with a judicial proceeding — including orders, judgments, dockets, calendars, minute entries, registers of actions, and indexes covering every case type heard in the county.

You can locate court records in Arizona by visiting clerk offices in person, using online search tools, or accessing public terminals at the courthouse. ArizonaCourts.us can help you find publicly available court case information, understand Arizona's court structure, and connect with county-level resources. Official clerk offices, the Arizona Judicial Branch's statewide case lookup system, and in-person courthouse visits each provide different levels of access depending on the record type.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Graham County?

The right starting point depends on which court handled the matter and whether you need general case information or official certified copies. Here are your options for searching Graham County court records:

Arizona Judicial Branch Public Access Case Lookup — The Public Access Case Lookup tool lets you search case index information across the state, including Graham County, at no charge. You can search by case number or party name.
Arizona Superior Court eAccess Portal — The eAccess portal provides online access to civil and criminal case documents filed in Arizona Superior Courts on or after July 1, 2010. Previewing the first page of any document is free. Viewing and downloading the full document costs $10 per document. A monthly subscription is also available for those who need regular access to multiple documents.
Graham County Clerk of the Superior Court — If you need certified copies, older records, or documents not available online, contact the Clerk directly. The office is on the main floor of the Graham County Courthouse, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Graham County Justice Court — Cases handled by the Justice Court — including misdemeanors, civil traffic, small claims, and evictions — are maintained separately from Superior Court records.

Graham County Superior Court Clerk of the Court
Address: 800 West Main Street, Safford, AZ 85546
Phone: (928) 428-3100
Fax: (928) 428-0061
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Graham County Justice Court
Address: 800 West Main Street, Safford, AZ 85546
Phone: (928) 428-1210
Fax: (928) 428-3523
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (excluding holidays)

Court filing fees vary by case type. The Court Filing Fees page on the Graham County website provides general guidance, and the Clerk's office at (928) 428-3100 can confirm current amounts before you file.

Are Court Records Public in Graham County?

Court records in Graham County are generally open to the public under the Arizona Public Records Law, A.R.S. §39-121, which reflects Arizona's commitment to governmental transparency and accountability. Access to judicial records is further shaped by Rule 123 of the Rules of the Arizona Supreme Court, which sets the procedural framework for inspecting court records and defines the categories shielded from public disclosure.

The following categories of records are confidential and not available to the general public:

Juvenile records — Dependency proceedings, termination of parental rights, adoption matters, and similar cases involving minors are sealed.
Adult criminal history and evaluations — Presentence reports, diagnostic assessments, medical and psychological evaluations, and probation records are closed.
Protective orders — Details about a protective order, including its filing and contents, remain non-public until proof of service is filed with the court.
Judicial work product — Notes, memoranda, and draft opinions created by judges or court staff during the deliberative process are not subject to public inspection.
Unofficial verbatim recordings — Audio or written recordings made by clerks solely to assist in preparing minute entries are not publicly accessible.
Psychiatric and mental health records — Restricted to the subject, their legal representative, court-appointed guardians, and specifically authorized individuals.
Sexually violent or dangerous person records — Case files involving individuals adjudicated as sexually violent or dangerous are closed except to designated parties such as attorneys and treating medical professionals.

All other court records — the substantial majority of civil, criminal, family, and probate filings — are presumptively public and available for inspection at the Clerk's office or through the Arizona Judicial Branch's online tools.

Graham County Criminal Court Records

Criminal cases in Graham County are handled at two levels depending on the severity of the offense. Felony charges — including arson, assault, burglary, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and manslaughter — are prosecuted in the Graham County Superior Court. Misdemeanor criminal offenses and criminal traffic violations fall primarily under the jurisdiction of the Graham County Justice Court, while minor ordinance violations and city regulation infractions may also be heard by the Gila Valley Consolidated (GVC) Municipal Court.

It's worth knowing that felony cases begin in the Justice Court with an Initial Appearance, where charges are reviewed and release conditions are set, before being forwarded to the Superior Court for trial proceedings if sufficient evidence exists.

Court locations for criminal matters:

Court	Address	Phone
Graham County Superior Court	800 W. Main Street, Safford, AZ 85546	(928) 428-3100
Graham County Justice Court	800 W. Main Street, Safford, AZ 85546	(928) 428-1210
Pima Justice Court Precinct 2	136 W. Center Street, Pima, AZ 85543	(928) 485-2771
GVC Municipal Court	702 S. 8th Avenue, Safford, AZ 85546	(928) 432-4090

Criminal court records maintained by the Superior Court Clerk are searchable through the Arizona Judicial Branch Public Access Case Lookup and the eAccess portal for cases filed after July 1, 2010. If you need certified copies, direct your request to the Clerk of the Superior Court. Payments for court-ordered financial obligations can be made through AZCourtPay, which charges a flat convenience fee of $5.00.

Keep in mind that court case records and comprehensive criminal history records are two different things. A full criminal background check covering multi-jurisdiction arrest and conviction data comes from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, not the Clerk's office, which only maintains records from cases filed in Graham County courts.

Graham County Civil Court Records

Civil litigation in Graham County is divided between the Superior Court and the Justice Court based on the dollar amount at issue. The Superior Court has jurisdiction over civil cases involving more than $10,000, as well as civil name changes for adults, minors, and families. The Justice Court handles civil claims up to $10,000, small claims cases capped at $5,000 (plus fees, interest, and costs), and eviction actions under Title 12 and Title 33 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.

Key civil case types by court:

Superior Court civil jurisdiction: Contract disputes over $10,000, foreclosures and liens, real estate title and boundary disputes, civil equity matters, appeals from lower courts, landlord/tenant matters above the $10,000 threshold, and restraining orders.
Justice Court civil jurisdiction: Debt claims, contract disputes, goods and services matters, and injury cases up to $10,000; small claims up to $5,000; and evictions regardless of amount.

Small claims proceedings in the Justice Court are designed for self-represented litigants. Attorneys are generally not permitted to appear in small claims cases, and the procedures are simplified compared to general civil rules.

Civil records from Superior Court proceedings are accessible through the eAccess portal and the Public Access Case Lookup. The Superior Court Forms page on the county website has downloadable filing forms, and the Clerk's office can confirm current filing fees before you submit. Certified copies of civil case documents require a direct request to the Clerk of the Superior Court at (928) 428-3100.

Graham County Family Court Records

The Family Law division of the Graham County Superior Court handles all domestic and family-related cases in the county. These matters are filed with and maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court, whose office also issues and records marriage licenses and assists with child support processing inquiries.

Cases handled by the Superior Court's Family Law division include:

Dissolution of Marriage (divorce) — Arizona law requires a 60-day waiting period from the date of service before a divorce can be finalized
Legal separation — divides marital property and debts without ending the marriage
Legal decision-making (formerly child custody) and parenting time — establishing, modifying, or enforcing existing orders
Child support establishment and enforcement
Paternity
Juvenile delinquency and dependency
Personal protection orders and injunctions against harassment

Marriage Records: Marriage licenses are issued by the Graham County Superior Court Clerk to couples aged 16 and older. A marriage license costs $83. Certified copies of recorded marriage licenses are available from the Clerk's office for $30 per copy.

Divorce Records: Dissolution of Marriage records are filed with the Clerk and are publicly accessible. You can search them via the eAccess portal or request copies directly from the Clerk. The Clerk's office provides Family Court Forms guides — including guides for divorce/separation/annulment, temporary orders, and guardianship/conservatorship proceedings — all downloadable from the county website.

Note that juvenile dependency records and adoption proceedings are confidential under Rule 123 and are not available to the general public. Interpreters are available at the Clerk's office free of charge for non-English-speaking individuals.

Graham County Probate Court Records

Graham County does not have a standalone probate court. All probate matters are heard by the Graham County Superior Court, presided over by the Presiding Judge, which has jurisdiction over the full range of probate proceedings.

Probate case types handled by the Superior Court:

Formal and informal probate of wills and appointment of personal representatives (the deceased must have passed more than 120 hours but less than 2 years prior to filing)
Administration of estates
Adult guardianship for incapacitated adults residing in Graham County
Adult conservatorship for managing the financial affairs of an incapacitated adult
Minor guardianship and minor conservatorship (for minors owning assets exceeding $5,000)
Trust proceedings and registration of trusts
Name changes for adults, minors, and families
Adoptions (coordinated through the Graham County Attorney's Office at (928) 428-3620)

Copies of probate case records are obtained through the Clerk of the Superior Court. Certified copies carry a certification fee; call the Clerk's office at (928) 428-3100 for current amounts before making a request. The Superior Court Forms page includes a Guardianship-Conservatorship Forms Guide and downloadable forms for probate and related proceedings.

Probate case records filed after July 1, 2010 are also searchable through the eAccess portal. The first page of any document is available for free preview; full document access requires the applicable fee. Wills filed for safekeeping with the court are treated as confidential records and are not subject to general public inspection under Rule 123.

Graham County Superior Court Probate Division
Address: Graham County Courthouse, 800 West Main Street, Safford, AZ 85546
Phone: (928) 428-3100
Fax: (928) 428-0061
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.