What are Arizona Family Court Records?

Arizona family court records are official documents pertaining to the legal processes and court proceedings of family courts within the state’s jurisdiction. These records relate to specific court cases heard within the court's jurisdiction, providing details about each case. These documents typically contain information regarding cases/suits heard by the courts, including motions filed, court actions, judgments, and the court's decrees delivered following each trial or hearing. In compliance with Arizona state laws, these records may be made available to interested members of the public upon request.

What Cases Are Heard By Arizona Family Courts?

Arizona family courts are often operated by the state’s civil courts, which typically resolve non-criminal cases involving persons, institutions, or organizations and, more often than not, require monetary compensation or financial remuneration. In each family court case, a judge presides and plays a crucial role in overseeing the proceedings and ensuring that all matters are handled according to judicial rules. Family courts are responsible for managing family law cases within state limits. They are specially designed for hearing family-related/domestic matters such as:

• Juvenile cases and matters: including allegations of child abuse, neglect, and illegal behavior of underage persons
• Guardianship-related matters, paternity suits, child support, and child custody cases
• Marriage dissolution cases include annulment, separation agreements requiring property, or alimony agreements.
• Emancipation and domestic violence cases.

What is Included in Arizona Family Court Records?

Like most court records, family court records feature general information regarding the case/suit and details of the court proceedings. This typically includes the personal information of the plaintiff and defendant, as well as the names of any witnesses and juveniles relevant to the case. Also included in these records are details of the place and date of filing, any evidence filed by either party, motions and court actions filed during the proceedings, the length of hearings or proceedings, and details of the court’s final judgment/decree. Most records include any agreed-upon financial settlements, conditions of separation or annulment, alimony, shared child custody, and protective orders.

Are Family Court Records Public in Arizona?

Following the establishment of Arizona’s Public Records Law, all court processes are documented and available to interested members of the public upon request. However, according to the law’s provisions, some restrictions are placed on the availability of specific information. Confidential family court record information includes:

• Information regarding juveniles or children under dispute
• Details of financial information, such as bank account statements, social security numbers, and related financial data, were filed as evidence during the proceedings.
• Information relating to mental health or involving details of the psychological evaluation
• Details of adoption, child custody, and paternity proceedings
• Information regarding domestic violence and protection order details

Individuals have the right to request access to certain records or to request redaction of sensitive information, in accordance with state law.

While most family court records can be obtained on request or by using any available public resources, confidential family court record information often requires a court order/subpoena. However, legal representatives of the subject(s) and law enforcement officers typically have legal authorization to access most records.

Arizona marriage records and Arizona divorce records are also considered part of the state’s family court records. They usually feature the personal information of those involved, and their disclosure may be limited depending on the preferences of both parties. Consequently, marriage and divorce records can be considered more challenging to locate and obtain than other public records. They may not be available through government sources or third-party public record websites.

How Do I Get Family Court Records in Arizona?

Arizona provides a variety of channels through which interested persons may access family court records. The Superior Court is located in various regions across the state, and records are located at the relevant courthouse where the case was heard. Family court records are managed and disseminated by the court’s general jurisdiction, which is the Superior Court, divided into multiple state trial courts. The court provides a system—either online or physical—for accessing family court records, allowing users to use these resources to obtain the necessary information. The court or the clerk’s office typically provides detailed instructions for obtaining records to guide requestors through the process. Depending on the system in use, search for records can be done by case number, party name, or other identifiers. Please note that a fee may be required for obtaining records, and requestors can obtain copies of court records, either as physical documents or digital files.

Essentially, Arizona family court records can be obtained by:

• Using the state’s online resources
• Querying the record custodian via mail
• Using third-party aggregate sites
• Making in-person requests to the office of the Clerk of Courts (in the courthouse where the case was heard)

How to Obtain Arizona Family Court Records Online

The online system for accessing family court records in Arizona is provided through the Arizona Judicial Branch, which serves as a central repository and resource for court information from 177 courts in Arizona. This system allows users to search for current and up-to-date court records using various criteria. Users can use the Public Access Case Lookup to begin searching by entering details such as the first/last name or business name of the plaintiff/defendant, their birth month, and the name of the court where the case was heard. Alternatively, searching can be done by case number and court name. The system is designed to facilitate searching for both public and certain restricted records, though some case types—such as those involving juveniles, sealed cases, or unissued protection orders—are excluded to protect confidentiality.

Additionally, interested persons may use the system to subscribe to the case notification feature, which alerts users to noteworthy changes regarding their indicated cases of interest. However, this feature is available only to participating courts; all notifications are typically emailed.

Publicly available records are accessible from some third-party websites. These websites offer the benefit of not being limited by geographical record availability and can often serve as a starting point when researching specific or multiple records. To find a record using the search engines on these sites, interested parties must provide:

• The name of someone involved, provided it is not a juvenile
• The assumed location of the record in question, such as a city, county, or state name

Third-party sites are not government-sponsored websites; record availability may differ from official channels.

How to Obtain Arizona Family Court Records In Person

To obtain Arizona family court records in person, interested persons may locate the courthouse where the case was filed/heard and query the office of the Clerk of Courts. In most cases, the requesting party must also obtain the required legal authority if the record being sought contains confidential information. Generally, most confidential information can only be accessed by making in-person requests. This is also true for some trial transcripts and mental health-related records presented during the proceedings.

Once found, the official court record custodian may be queried during official working hours. Requestors are generally required to provide details of the required record, including the names of the parties involved, the case file number and/or docket information, and the date the case was filed or judgment delivered. Requestors may obtain copies of court records, and a fee may apply for each copy requested. Additionally, the requesting party may also be required to cover the cost of their request and present a government-issued ID and any other relevant documents required to validate their request.

How to Obtain Arizona Family Records Via Mail

Arizona family court records may also be accessed by making mail-in requests to the courthouse where the case was filed/heard. To request a record via mail, interested requestors are advised to inquire about the requirements for making these requests from the Clerk of the concerned court. In most cases, mail-in requests require that the requestor prepare a written request containing information regarding the parties involved as well as general case information. Requestors should specify the type and number of copies needed and include a cheque or money order receipt for the required fee. They may also be required to enclose a copy of their government-issued ID and a self-addressed envelope.

Both government websites and organizations may offer divorce and marriage records. Similarly, third-party public record websites can provide these types of records. However, since third-party organizations are not government-operated, record availability may vary. Thus, they may be exempt from public disclosure unless state statutes specify otherwise.

Specialized Family Court Records In Arizona

Arizona family courts maintain various specialized records and decrees, along with records of court proceedings and trial transcripts in family case hearings. These specialized records include decrees of marriage dissolutions, judgments pertaining to child custody, adoptions, and the execution of wills, as well as other financial claims. Interested and eligible persons may access specialized family court records like other records. However, the eligibility requirements for obtaining these records generally vary depending on the information contained in the record.

Are Child Custody Records Public in Arizona?

Child custody records in Arizona are created during family court proceedings where a child's legal custody, visitation, and parental responsibilities are determined. These records generally include court petitions, motions, custody evaluations, parenting plans, and the final custody order issued by the judge. Since they form part of the official family court file, custody records are treated as public documents under Arizona law, meaning they may be accessed by the public unless the court orders otherwise.

However, while custody rulings are typically public, Arizona courts often limit access to sensitive file portions, even when part of Arizona court records. Information such as a child’s medical or psychological records, financial disclosures of parents, and identifying details of minors may be redacted or placed under seal. Cases involving dependency, juvenile delinquency, or adoption are confidential by default and cannot be accessed without special court approval.

How to Access Adoption Records In Arizona

The state's vital records office generates and maintains Arizona adoption records. However, being a closed records state, Arizona state law only permits selected individuals to access these records, including adult adoptees and legally authorized intermediaries. Interested and eligible persons may request adoption records at the state vital records office. The requesting party must prove their eligibility by presenting a government-issued ID or court order/subpoena. In addition to this, they may be required to provide information regarding the adoptee, including their full name and date of birth (if known)

How Do I Access Divorce Court Records in Arizona?

Per Arizona state laws, divorce court records are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the jurisdiction where the decree was made. The Office of the Bureau of Vital Records does not have access to these records.

As such, persons interested in accessing divorce records may do so by locating the record custodian in the county where the event occurred. Requestors are generally required to provide information regarding the divorce to access the record of interest. This may include the parties' personal information and the place and date of the divorce. However, requests for certified divorce records may require the requester to provide identifying information to confirm their eligibility.