Apache County Court Records

Apache County court records provide comprehensive details of court cases, from filing a case through the proceeding to the court's final disposition. They cover all court case documents, including petitions, exhibits, summonses, witness statements, dispositions, and orders. Court clerks preserve these records in various physical and electronic formats and may release them to interested individuals or agencies upon request.

The public availability of Apache court records complies with the Arizona Public Records Act, which allows citizens to stay informed about judicial actions and decisions. Thus, citizens can hold the justice system accountable while ensuring that the rights of all litigants are protected.

Are Court Records Public in Apache County?

Court records in Apache County are public under the Arizona Public Record Law (Title 39, Chapter 1). By this law, custodians of Apache County public records are mandated to maintain an index of records in their custody and provide reasonable means by which members of the public can access them. Despite court records being public, access to certain records may be restricted for privacy or security concerns. Exempt records include:

• Juvenile court records (except traffic violations)
• Victim and witness information
• Sealed or restricted court records
• Sensitive security or confidential information
• Adoption, dependency, and mental health records.

Apache County Court Records Search

Interested individuals can request or obtain court records using any of the following methods:

• At the court clerk's office
• On the statewide court record search website
• By mail, fax, or phone
• Third-party aggregate databases.

Apache County Courts

Apache County has a Superior Court, four Justice Courts, and three Municipal Courts. The Apache County Superior Court has general jurisdiction and presides over all kinds of criminal, probate, juvenile, domestic relations, tax, and civil cases. Justice Courts handle civil matters where the amount involved is $10,000 or less, small claims, criminal traffic offenses, and misdemeanor cases. The addresses and contact information of all Apache County courts are as follows:

Apache County Superior Court
Apache County Courthouse
70 West 3rd Avenue South
P.O. Box 365
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7550
Fax: (928) 337-2771

Chinle Justice Court
P.O. Box 888
Chinle, AZ 86503
Phone: (928) 674-5922
Fax: (928) 674-5926

Puerco (Sanders) Justice Court
County Road 7080
P.O. Box 610
Sanders, AZ 86512
Phone: (928) 688-2729
Fax: (928) 688-2244

Round Valley Justice Court
130 South Mountain Avenue
P.O. Box 1356
Springerville, AZ 85938
Phone: (928) 333-4613
Fax: (928) 333-4205

St. Johns Justice Court
Apache County Courthouse
70 West 3rd Avenue South
P.O. Box 308
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7558
Fax: (928) 337-2683

Eagar Municipal Court
130 South Mountain Avenue
P.O. Box 1356
Springerville, AZ 85938
Phone: (928) 333-4613
Fax: (928) 333-4205

Springerville Municipal Court
130 South Mountain Avenue
P.O. Box 1356
Springerville, AZ 85938
Phone: (928) 333-4613
Fax: (928) 333-4205

St. Johns Municipal Court
Apache County Courthouse
70 West 3rd Avenue South
P.O. Box 308
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7558
Fax: (928) 337-2683

Apache County Criminal Records

Apache County criminal records document an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system in Apache County as well as across the state. The county sheriff's office is responsible for maintaining these records and helping county residents find them. Interested parties should complete the office's record request form and submit it along with the required fees in person or by mail to:

Apache County Sheriff's Office
370 South Washington
P.O. Box 518
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-4321

The Arizona Department of Public Safety houses the state's central repository for all criminal records and actively maintains a database for Apache criminal records. However, this agency does not conduct background searches for third parties. Only record subjects may review the information contained in their criminal record. To do this, they must contact the Central State Repository (C.S.R.) section of the aforementioned agency at (602) 223-2222 or download the record review packet.

This packet contains a blank fingerprint card, a pre-addressed return envelope, contact information, and instructions. The relevant forms must be completed and submitted to the agency. The agency typically completes all such applications and mails the requester a copy of their existing criminal records within 15 days of receipt of the record application.

Get Apache County Civil Court Records

Civil court cases include probate, marriage dissolutions, domestic relations, and marriages. All courts in Apache County preside over civil cases, although with varying depths. The county's superior court has general jurisdiction, while municipal and justice courts can only handle certain civil cases (with less severity and financial involvement). Clerks of the various courts maintain records for their respective courts and are responsible for their public dissemination.

Civil case records about dependency, adoption, and mental health proceedings are non-public. To request public civil case records filed in the Superior Court, interested parties are required to complete a request form or visit the court clerk's office during office hours. Completed forms (along with the applicable fee) can be submitted by Fax: ((928) 337-2771), mail, or in person. In-person research at the clerk's office is free. Payments vary depending on the number of copies requested and the request type.

Filed documents cost $0.50 per plain page, $30.00 per certified document, and $7.00 for results obtained by mail or fax. Payment options include cash, money orders, and cards. Interested parties may obtain court records for cases filed from 1995 to the present online via the Arizona Judicial Branch Access to Court Information website. Inquiries at the county superior court clerk's office should be directed to:

Apache County Superior Court House
70 West 3rd South Street
P.O. Box 365
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7550
Fax: (928) 337-2771

Apache County Marriage Records

Marriages in Apache County are conducted in the county's superior court. Interested parties may obtain related records at the court clerk's office during business hours. They must possess the names of the marriage participants and the required fees to facilitate the search:

Apache County Clerk of Court
70 West 3rd South Street
P.O. Box 365
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7550
Fax: (928) 337-2771

Apache County Divorce Records

The Apache County Superior Court has jurisdiction over all family matters, including marriage annulments and divorces. Interested parties should query this court clerk's office using the request form provided on its website.

Apache County Clerk of Court
70 West 3rd South Street
P.O. Box 365
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7550
Fax: (928) 337-2771

Apache Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records are classified as Apache County vital records. They are kept by the Apache County Office of Vital Records, which is also responsible for their public dissemination to eligible parties. To request records, interested parties are required to complete an Apache County birth certificate request form or death certificate request form, depending on the sought records.

The completed form must then be printed and submitted to the office in person or by mail. A $20.00 fee is required per searched record. Payment options include bank cards and money orders (payable to Apache County Vital Records). Interested parties can also order records online via the Arizona Department of Public Health website.

Note that Arizona is a closed record state, meaning its vital records are not public. Other than the person named on a record, only select parties are allowed to access birth and death records in Arizona. Under the Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R9-19-210 and R9-19-211, parties eligible to view vital records include siblings, parents, grandparents, children, an individual designated in a power of attorney, and a spouse. All record requesters must be up to age 18.

Contact the Apache County Office of Vital Records or the Arizona Department of Health Services using the information below:

Apache County Office of Vital Records
75 West Cleveland Street (2nd Floor)
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7525

Arizona Department of Health Services
Bureau of Vital Records
150 North 18th Avenue, Ste. 120
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 364-1300
Fax: (888) 816-5907

Apache County Probate Court Records

The Apache County Superior Court presides over court cases related to probate, and the Clerk of Courts preserves all associated records for documentation purposes. Interested parties may request and obtain copies of probate court records from the Court Clerk's Office. Note that most probate matters are confidential, and as such, there may be tight regulations on their dissemination. For instance, certain records may only be released to record parties, immediate family members, and their attorneys. Requesting parties must possess as much information about the case as possible (including SSNs, case numbers, party names, and dates of birth).

Apache County Clerk of Court
70 West 3rd South Street
P.O. Box 365
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7550
Fax: (928) 337-2771

Apache County Property Records

Property records include all official documentation that contains important information about real estate, such as deeds, liens, mortgages, maps, and judgments. The Apache County Recorder preserves and maintains an index of all property records generated for real properties located in the county. This includes land records dating back to 1879. Interested parties should contact this office for records at:

Apache County Recorder
75 West Cleveland
P.O. Box 425
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7515
Fax: (928) 337-7676

The Apache County Assessor's Office also keeps records related to the county's real property assessments. It maintains a public database of assessment records for search purposes. On this website, researchers can obtain tax history, parcel assessment history, current ownership, and tax information. Basic search criteria for this site include account number, parcel number, business name, and owner name. Further inquiries may be made to:

Apache County Assessor's Office
P.O. Box 770
75 West Cleveland Street
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Phone: (928) 337-7624

Apache County Court Records Online

Third-party websites, like arizonacourtrecords.us, exist alongside official ones for online access to court records. These websites typically cover multiple courts and states and offer name-based court record searches. They are a convenient option when a researcher does not know the court where a case was filed or the case number. Some offer advanced search filters, allowing users to sort search results by date, county, and even courthouses.

On the downside, many of these websites require a fee for usage, while some only display basic case information for free. Moreover, the accuracy and completeness of records obtained from these sites vary as they operate independently of the courts. As such, researchers are advised to verify obtained information against official sources.