How to Look Up Court Records in Arizona

How to Search Arizona Court Records Online

Arizona's judiciary consists of trial-level superior courts in each county, limited-jurisdiction justice and municipal courts, an intermediate Court of Appeals, and the Arizona Supreme Court as the highest court. Case records are held by the individual superior and limited-jurisdiction courts and accessed through the Judicial Branch's public case-lookup resources.

Arizona does not publish a single statewide public case search, so records are held at the local court level. Use the official Arizona Judicial Branch site to find the right court, then use that court or county clerk's own search. Our guide to finding county court records walks through identifying the right clerk of court.

Are Arizona Court Records Public?

Most case records are public, but juvenile, sealed, and expunged matters are restricted. Basic online case lookup is free; certified copies from a court clerk carry a fee. These records are provided for general reference and are not a consumer report; they must not be used for employment, tenant, or credit screening governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Criminal, Civil, and Family Court Records

Arizona's trial courts hear criminal, civil, family, and probate matters, and the public search generally covers the same categories — with the confidential ones held back. Juvenile cases, adoptions, and many family matters are restricted by law, and sealed or expunged records do not appear at all. When a case does not turn up, that is often the system protecting a restricted record rather than a gap in the portal.

Searching by Name or Case Number

A case number pulls a single case directly and is the fastest route when you have it. A name search returns everyone who matches, so narrow it by filing date, court, and case type to separate people who share a name. A middle initial or an approximate year often turns a long list into one clear result.

Getting Copies and Certified Records

Reading a docket online is usually free, but an official or certified copy — the kind an agency or employer will accept — comes from the clerk of the court that holds the file, and typically carries a per-page or per-document fee. Order certified copies from the court itself, not a third-party site. These are court records for informational lookups, not a background-screening product, and may not be used for employment, tenant, or credit decisions governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Court systems rename portals, change fees, and adjust what they publish online without notice, so treat this page as a map, not the territory: for anything that matters, confirm the current rules with the court or the clerk's office directly.