Maricopa County Court Records Search
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Maricopa County is the most populous county in Arizona, encompassing the Phoenix metropolitan area and more than four million residents. The county’s judiciary operates through the Maricopa County Superior Court, which serves as the state trial court of general jurisdiction. This single court handles criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile matters through specialized divisions and regional court centers spread across the county. The Clerk of the Superior Court, an independently elected official, serves as the custodian of all Superior Court case records and is responsible for filing, maintaining, and providing public access to court documents.
For anyone searching Arizona court records, official clerk offices, public-access terminals at courthouses, and online case-lookup tools are the primary channels for locating case information. The statewide resource at ArizonaCourts.us can help users identify which courts and databases may contain the records they need. The most authoritative searches, however, run through the Clerk of the Superior Court’s own electronic systems and the Arizona Judicial Branch’s public-access services.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Maricopa County?
Maricopa County offers multiple pathways for locating court case records, whether you need to verify a case number, review a docket, or obtain copies of filed documents.
Online Case Search
The most efficient starting point is the Clerk of the Superior Court’s public case search portal. This free tool lets users query Superior Court records by:
- Party name (first and last)
- Case number
- Attorney name or bar number
Results display case type, filing date, parties, scheduled hearings, and a list of docket entries. Many documents filed electronically after the court transitioned to e-filing can be viewed directly from the docket.
The Arizona Judicial Branch Public Access to Court Case Information page provides links to statewide resources and self-service forms.
In-Person Access
Visitors may use public-access computer terminals at any Maricopa County Superior Court location to search case records at no charge. Staff at the Clerk’s customer-service counters can assist with record lookups, certified copies, and filing questions.
Primary Courthouse Locations
| Facility | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Central Court Building (Downtown Phoenix) | 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003 | (602) 372-5375 |
| Southeast Facility (Mesa) | 222 E. Javelina Ave., Mesa, AZ 85210 | (602) 372-5375 |
| Northwest Regional Court Center (Surprise) | 14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln., Surprise, AZ 85374 | (602) 372-5375 |
| Northeast Regional Court Center (Scottsdale) | 18380 N. 40th St., Phoenix, AZ 85032 | (602) 372-5375 |
All Clerk of the Superior Court customer-service locations operate Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding county holidays.
Requesting Copies by Mail
Written requests may be sent to:
Clerk of the Superior Court
201 W. Jefferson St.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Include the case number (if known), full party names, case type, and the specific documents requested. Enclose payment for applicable copy fees. The Clerk accepts checks and money orders payable to “Clerk of the Superior Court”.
Copy Fees
- Standard copies: $0.50 per page
- Certified copies: $26.00 per document (includes certification and up to 10 pages; additional pages at $0.50 each)
Are Court Records Public in Maricopa County?
Arizona law establishes a strong presumption that court records are open to the public. Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-2071 and the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-602 (the Public Access to Court Records policy) govern the right of any person to inspect, copy, or obtain court records without showing a particular reason or interest.
What Is Publicly Accessible
Most documents filed in Superior Court cases are available for public review. This includes complaints, answers, motions, court orders, judgments, minute entries, and trial exhibits that have been admitted into evidence. Docket information—including party names, case numbers, hearing dates, and case status—is available through the Clerk’s online case search at no charge.
Records That Are Restricted or Sealed
Several categories of records are not available to the general public under Arizona law and court rules:
- Sealed cases: Cases sealed by court order under Rule 123 of the Arizona Rules of the Supreme Court
- Juvenile proceedings: Juvenile delinquency and dependency records (A.R.S. § 8-208)
- Adoption records: Sealed upon finalization (A.R.S. § 8-121)
- Mental health records: Title 36 proceedings, including court-ordered evaluations and treatment records
- Victim information: Identifying information of crime victims in certain cases
- Grand jury proceedings: Transcripts and records of grand jury deliberations
- Records subject to protective orders: Documents restricted by judicial order to protect trade secrets, personal safety, or privacy interests
Redaction Requirements
The Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-602 requires filers to omit or redact sensitive personal identifiers from court documents before filing. Information that must be redacted includes full Social Security numbers (only the last four digits may appear), full financial-account numbers, dates of birth of minor children, and the names of minor children in certain case types. The Clerk’s office is not required to screen every document for compliance, but the court may order redaction if sensitive data is discovered in a publicly accessible filing.
How to Request Restricted Records
A person seeking access to sealed or restricted records must file a motion with the court demonstrating a legal basis for access. The judge assigned to the case will determine whether the interest in disclosure outweighs the reasons for restriction.
Maricopa County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in Maricopa County are prosecuted in the Superior Court (for felonies) and in municipal and justice courts (for misdemeanors and petty offenses). The Clerk of the Superior Court maintains records for all felony cases filed in Superior Court, while individual city courts and justice courts maintain their own misdemeanor files.
Felony Case Records
Felony cases proceed through the Superior Court after indictment by a grand jury or following a preliminary hearing in a justice court. Records in these cases include the indictment or information, arraignment documents, pretrial motions, plea agreements, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and post-conviction filings. These records are searchable through the Clerk’s online case search using the defendant’s name or case number.
Misdemeanor and Petty Offense Records
Class 1, 2, and 3 misdemeanors and petty offenses are filed in justice courts and municipal courts throughout Maricopa County. Each court maintains its own records independently. For example:
- Maricopa County Justice Courts — Records can be searched through the Justice Courts Public Access portal, which covers all county justice court precincts.
- Phoenix Municipal Court — The City of Phoenix maintains a separate case lookup system for municipal offenses.
Criminal History and Arrest Records
Court records and criminal-history records serve different purposes. A criminal-history report compiling statewide arrest and conviction information is available through the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), which maintains the state’s criminal-history repository. Requests for criminal-history record checks can be submitted to DPS for a fee. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office maintains booking and arrest records for the county jail; recent booking information is available on the Sheriff’s website.
Key Criminal-Records Contact Information
- Clerk of the Superior Court (Criminal Department): 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003 · Phone: (602) 372-5375
- Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office: 550 W. Jackson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003 · Phone: (602) 876-1000
- Arizona DPS Records Unit: P.O. Box 6638, Mail Drop 3190, Phoenix, AZ 85005
Expungement and Record Sealing
Under Arizona’s record-sealing statute (A.R.S. § 13-911, effective January 1, 2023), eligible individuals may petition the court to seal certain criminal case records. Once sealed, the case is no longer visible through public case-search tools, and the Clerk will not disclose the existence of the record to the general public. Petitions to seal are filed with the court in which the conviction occurred.
Maricopa County Civil Court Records
The Superior Court’s Civil Department handles lawsuits involving amounts exceeding the jurisdiction of the justice courts (generally above $10,000), along with injunctions, special actions, and complex commercial disputes. Justice courts handle civil claims up to $10,000 and small-claims cases up to $3,500.
What Civil Records Contain
A civil case file typically includes the complaint, summons, answer, motions, discovery-related filings, orders, stipulations, trial exhibits, the final judgment, and any post-judgment motions or satisfaction of judgment. Tax-lien cases, foreclosure proceedings, and contract disputes also generate civil records maintained by the Clerk.
Searching Civil Records
- Online: Use the Clerk’s case search to locate Superior Court civil cases. Justice court civil cases, including small claims, can be found through the Maricopa County Justice Courts portal.
- In person: Visit the Clerk’s customer-service counter at any courthouse location listed above. Public-access terminals are available for self-service searches.
- By mail: Send a written request to the Clerk at 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003, with sufficient identifying information and applicable fees.
Civil Filing Fees
Filing fees for civil cases in Superior Court are established by Arizona statute and administrative order. Key fees include:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil complaint (Superior Court) | $349.00 |
| Answer or response | $233.00 |
| Small claims filing (Justice Court, up to $3,500) | Varies by amount |
| Civil complaint (Justice Court, up to $10,000) | Varies by amount |
| Certified copy | $26.00 per document |
Fee amounts are subject to change by administrative order. Contact the Clerk at (602) 372-5375 or visit the Clerk’s fee schedule page for the most current figures. Fee waivers may be available to litigants who demonstrate financial hardship by filing an application to defer or waive fees under Arizona Rule of Civil Procedure 83.
E-Filing
The Maricopa County Superior Court requires electronic filing for most civil case types through the AZTurboCourt e-filing portal or other approved e-filing service providers. Self-represented litigants may be exempt from mandatory e-filing in certain circumstances and can file paper documents at the Clerk’s counter.
Maricopa County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Maricopa County are adjudicated by the Superior Court’s Family Department, which operates out of the Durango Juvenile Court Center and the downtown Central Court Building. The Family Department handles dissolution of marriage (divorce), legal separation, annulment, child custody and parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, paternity, orders of protection, and domestic-violence matters.
Where Family Court Records Are Maintained
The Clerk of the Superior Court maintains all Family Department case files. Records can be searched through the same online case search used for other Superior Court matters.
Family Court Location
Maricopa County Superior Court — Family Department
Central Court Building
201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 372-5375
Filing Fees for Family Cases
| Case Type | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Dissolution of marriage (with or without children) | $349.00 |
| Response to dissolution petition | $272.00 |
| Legal separation | $349.00 |
| Order of protection | No fee |
| Paternity action | $349.00 |
These fees are subject to revision. A deferral or waiver may be granted upon approval of a fee-waiver application.
Self-Service Resources
The Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center provides free downloadable forms for many family law matters, including dissolution of marriage, child custody modification, and orders of protection. The Maricopa County Superior Court also operates a Self-Service Center at the downtown courthouse where staff can help litigants identify the correct forms and understand filing procedures (staff cannot provide legal advice).
Divorce and Marriage Records
Divorce decrees and related orders are part of the Superior Court case file and accessible through the Clerk. Marriage licenses in Maricopa County are issued by the Clerk of the Superior Court’s marriage-license office at the downtown courthouse and at select regional locations. Arizona does not impose a waiting period after a marriage license is issued, and the license is valid for 12 months. Certified copies of marriage licenses can be obtained from the Clerk for $26.00.
For statewide vital records—including birth certificates and death certificates—contact the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records or the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
Restricted Family Records
Juvenile dependency and delinquency records are confidential under A.R.S. § 8-208 and are not available through the public case-search system. Adoption records are sealed upon finalization. Orders of protection are public records, but victim-address information is kept confidential.
Maricopa County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Maricopa County are heard by the Superior Court’s Probate Department. This department oversees the administration of decedents’ estates, the validity and interpretation of wills and trusts, guardianships and conservatorships for incapacitated adults and minors, and related filings.
Types of Probate Records
Probate case files may include petitions for probate of a will, applications for appointment of a personal representative, inventories and accountings of estate assets, petitions for guardianship or conservatorship, court orders approving or denying appointments, and final distributions or discharges.
Searching Probate Records
Probate cases filed in the Superior Court are indexed and searchable through the Clerk’s online case search. Search by the decedent’s name, the petitioner’s name, or the case number. In-person searches can be conducted at the Clerk’s downtown office or at any regional facility with public-access terminals.
Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Petition for probate / appointment of personal representative | $349.00 |
| Petition for guardianship or conservatorship | $349.00 |
| Response or objection | $233.00 |
| Certified copy of letters testamentary or other probate orders | $26.00 per document |
How to Request Probate Records
- Online: Search the Clerk’s case-search portal for the relevant case; many probate documents filed electronically are viewable from the docket.
- In person: Visit the Clerk’s customer-service counter at 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003. Request specific documents by case number and docket entry. Copies are $0.50 per page; certified copies are $26.00 per document.
- By mail: Mail a written request to the Clerk at 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003, specifying the decedent’s name, case number, and documents needed. Include a check or money order for copy fees payable to “Clerk of the Superior Court”.
Guardianship and Conservatorship Records
Guardianship and conservatorship proceedings are generally open to the public, including petitions, court-appointed evaluator reports (unless sealed by court order), and annual accountings. However, medical and psychological evaluation reports submitted in support of a guardianship petition may be restricted from public view. The court may also seal records to protect the privacy of a ward who is a minor or an incapacitated adult when disclosure would be harmful.
Key Probate Department Contact
Maricopa County Superior Court — Probate Department
201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 372-5375
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Maricopa County Superior Court Probate page provides procedural guidance, local rules, and links to forms for probate filings, including informal probate packets and guardianship applications.